Deception
by Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet
Summary: Danny knew his parents would accept him. He's always known. So why did they react the way they did? Now he has to contemplate things that he thought he never would do just to survive.
1. Card and Number

Okay, I am revising this story...mostly because it needed to be revised so horribly. shudder Anywway, I will place a note at the beginning of every chapter I revise, and I hope those of you who are reading like it. I hope those of you who are re-reading like i tmore.

Thanks!

Rated PG for some themes and violence.

oOo

"Get outta here, kid!" a harsh voice growled, pulling Danny out of his doze and back into the real world. It was a shame, really. The dream had been safe, and warm. More than a little annoyed, he mustered what anger he could and shot the homeless, bearded man that stood before him a glare. It was more than enough to get the man to back off for a few seconds while 15-year-old Danny Fenton stood calmly and brushed himself off.

"Whatever," he muttered , half to himself, half to the other guy.

Back to aimlessly wondering the streets of New York, Danny thought wryly to himself, and stepped from the relative protection of the alley he'd been in onto the windswept street with a sigh.

As soon as he turned the corner, the look of annoyance fell, depression working across his face. He no longer had the energy to keep any mask up when he knew no one else would even give him a second thought. Everything in the last three months had happened so fast, that he could barely remember...and yet, time had seemed to crawl along at the same time. He looked down at his torn and dirty t-shirt, visible through the jacket in a much similar condition. He couldn't afford a new one, let alone a decent meal or a place to stay. So he could only wander.

He passed a bakery, and tried desperately to ignore the aromas that drifted out, mocking his hunger. He hurried past the welcome sign snorting at it. No one wanted him, and why would they? To those he had been closest to, he was a freak, and to every one else...well, most people seemed to be able to sense something off about him.

For a moment, he found himself tempted to reach through the glass and grab something, but shook the thought from his head almost immediately and hurried on. He hadn't stooped to stealing yet, and he wouldn't. Ever.

The cinnamon and yeast smells followed him down the street, teasing his nose and making his eyes water slightly. They reminded him of home...not that he could call that place his home any more.

How had everything gone so wrong? He wondered to himself for the billionth time. There were times he wondered if Johnny 13 wasn't permanently following him at a distance so his ghost sense couldn't pick him up. Danny had most certainly seemed to pick up his own bad-luck shadow. He shivered. He'd been living out like this for how long? He'd lost track. It seemed like years and yet days at once. He'd long since lost all track of time since his birthday. He'd turned 15 here...away from his friends and family...

He automatically snickered sarcastically at that thought. What friends? What family? He had no one.

As he turned the corner, he shoved his torn, mis-matched gloved hands in his pockets, accidentally finding the card that he hadn't thrown away. His feet stopped like they did every time he touched the thick, now crumpled paper. Slowly his arm withdrew, taking it out as he looked it over, reading it for the thousandth time. He didn't need to, he'd long since memorized the 10 digits on the card. No name was attached, but he knew who the phone call would reach.

After a moment of standing in the wind, biting his lip, he shook his head and shoved the card back in his pocket.

Never! He thought to himself. He would never...would he? Should he? He asked himself these questions every time...but this time was different. Had he finally reached the end of his rope? The end of his endurance? Here he was, barely able to sustain his human form, let alone his ghost form, homeless, jobless and more than a little depressed. He'd come here with such high hopes, but had figured out very early on that no one here wanted to be rescued as he'd once been so naive to think. He remembered when he had been innocent enough to believe that he could make it here...as a super hero.

But it didn't happen. Stupid comic books and childish dreams didn't come to life like he had imagined...or at all, really. People were afraid of him when he helped them, and he hated the looks they gave him. At least in Amity park they seemed to be more tolerant of him as a hero. Well, after the Ghost King incident in any case. Of course, he'd fought ghosts back then. Now, he lived in a city with no porthole, so few ghosts ever came this far. Actually, he hadn't met any. Sometimes, and ironically, he wished that one or two would show up. At least it would give him a way to vent his frustration.

His fingers stroked the card again, and he stopped again. So why did he stay and suffer like this? His family didn't want him, and the world didn't want him...but someone did...or they said they did...

He drew the card again from its sanctuary, and looked at it as if seeing it for the first time. His stomach growled with hunger. He'd definitely have plenty of food there. And a warm place to sleep. With the night coming up so quickly...even the homeless didn't want him hanging around. He scared them, and they didn't even know why...but _he_ did.

For the first time in a long time, Danny slowly changed direction. How long had it been since he'd actually had a destination in mind? Normally he just wondered aimlessly, hoping for some way to come along that would allow him to survive. He felt his stomach growl. When was the last time he'd eaten? He couldn't remember that either. The hunger seemed to come and go, getting worse and worse as he went on without food.

He licked his lips, half in hunger half in nervousness, as he walked up to the gas-station's phone and picked up the receiver. He stood like that for several minutes, hesitating and wondering, before he finally placed the call collect. The one call he thought he would never make. It rang several times before it picked up.

"Vlad Masters speaking."


	2. On the Plane

Chapter two up and redone! Enjoy.

-----

If Danny had thought he could never feel worse then he had on the streets of New York, he had been horribly mistaken. Out there, he'd almost numbed to both the physical and emotional pain, but now his conscience weighed so heavily with guilt, he wondered why the plane he currently sat in had been able to take off. The phrase "Weight of the World" suddenly had a whole new meaning to it.

"One thing's for sure," he muttered to himself. "He even thinks about mentioning separating my human and ghost halves, and I'll be outta there so fast he'll wonder when I got sonic speed."

He couldn't help but sigh as the world passed by below, and the few wisps of clouds streamed by just outside. Here he was, flying to the one place he never thought he would visit for more than a few minutes ever, let alone go to live. But, of course, that was before... He leaned forward, head in hands.

"Is something wrong?" Danny looked up suddenly, startled as the stewardess came over to him with a tray of food. He couldn't help but stare at the tray hungrily. First class definitely had it's advantages. Forcing his eyes away from the tantalizing food, Danny returned his gaze to the older woman who studied him with a worried expression, obviously awaiting an answer to her question. 'Let's see.' he thought to himself sarcastically, 'I've been quite literally kicked out and away from anyone and anything I've ever known, ended up trying to help people who don't want to be helped, I've just been homeless and starving for over two months, and now I've agreed to work for my mortal enemy.'

"No," he forced a smile in place of a sigh, "I'm just fine." She didn't look convinced, but let the subject drop and handed him the plate of food. He didn't need telling twice. Licking his lips hungrily, he quickly began to gobble the food before him. The stewardess' worried look deepened, but she shook her head and walked down the aisle, waiting on the other people on the plane. When she returned, Danny had cleaned every last crumb off of the plate, and was staring out of the window again, looking a bit on the sick side. He didn't look at her as she quietly took the tray and utensils away.

Danny swallowed and put a hand on his stomach, feeling more than a little queasy. Too much food on a normally empty stomach, he reasoned, kicking himself for being that stupid...but he'd been so hungry. The food reminded of...

NO! he shot up in his seat and clamped his hands over his eyes, willing his thoughts to go in another direction. Now that he could suddenly feel guilt again, it seemed to bring every other pain back. All the hurt and disbelief he'd been ignoring for months...

Despite his best efforts, the memories crept into the corner of his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, wishing for everything to go away, but to no avail. Finally, and for the first time in almost three months, he stopped trying to fight them, knowing he didn't have the strength anymore.

_oOo_

"Stupid Skulker," Danny grumbled, rubbing a sore neck as he phased through the front door at 2:17 am, and quietly sneaked up the stairs. He'd long since figured out how to avoid the squeaks in the floorboards without even using his ghost powers, and easily slid silently past his parents room and closed door.

Yawning, he tried not to think about the test in Lancer's class the next day on English Literature...again. Sometimes he wondered if they really were just repeating every author and subject with different names just to confuse him, or if it was a conspiracy against all high-school teens.

Suppressing a groan, he opened his door, and froze.

"There you are!" his mother exclaimed and stopped pacing over all the clothes he'd neglected to pick up earlier that day. "Where have you been?!" She rushed over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "You had me worried sick!"

"I—I was...uh..." his mind raced, trying desperately to come up with yet another excuse. Nothing plausible enough passed through his mind for several minutes, so he just stood there stuttering and looking ashamed, until Maddie shook her head.

"You were out with Sam, weren't you?"

"No," Danny replied immediately.

"Valerie then?"

"No!" He started to get apprehensive. Why was it whenever he had problems, everyone automatically assumed it was the girls in his life causing all the problems?

"Then where were you?" she repeated more firmly and folded her arms, refusing to take her eyes off of him..

Again, his mind seemed to go blank. Maybe the whole "out with a girl idea" would have been better. "I was—um...I-I can't tell you that." He finally finished lamely, his eyes dropping to look at his feet, too embarrassed and ashamed to say anything else.

"Well," his mother started, and he cringed. He knew that tone; cold and disappointed. He hated when she did that. It wasn't' like his conscience really needed her guilt trips. "Until you can tell me," she continued after a frustrated pause, "You're grounded...from everything. No friends, no computer, no television. School, and home. I don't care if it takes until tomorrow, or until you turn 30," she turned and walked calmly out of the room. "And don't sneak out again, please," she said from the door, "You almost gave me a heart attack, and next time, the punishment will be more severe." Danny just stared after her. More severe? How could it be more severe short of a beating? Of course, he'd never been beaten in his life. Spanked a few times when he was little, but not beat. He sat on his bed, glowering at his room. Here he was saving the city, and he gets grounded? Now he probably wouldn't even be able to actually fight ghosts if the lock-down would be as tight as he thought it would be. Life was so not fair!

'But they would understand, if you just told them,' a voice in his head chided.

'Would they?' he asked back. 'It doesn't matter how much they love me, they would still see me as a freak. That's the way everyone else sees me.'

He closed his eyes and flopped onto his back out of exhaustion and frustration.

'They've accepted you before,' that stupid voice continued. 'You know they'll accept you now.'

'And then what?'

A pause as realization suddenly seemed to dawn on him for the first time that he could remember without someone else's help. 'You're afraid to tell them because you don't know what will happen?' he blinked up at the ceiling. As he lay there, too tired to get undressed, an ironic question crossed his arguing mind. What would Jazz say if she knew he was fighting with himself? Would she panic and insist she see a shrink? Or would she congratulate him for analyzing his own situation without her help?

"I could always just ignore them and fight ghosts anyways," he muttered aloud, but he knew that wouldn't do much good. It would only get him scheduled with councilors or someone that could explain his changes in behavior over the last few months, which would only cut into his ghost-hunting and school work even more.

'I've been hanging out around Jazz too much,' he sighed to himself. 'Maybe I should tell them,' he looked around at the darkened room full of rockets and space pictures. What was the worst that could happen? He already knew from the Freakshow incident that they would accept him, but then what would they do? Would they just let things go on the way they had been? He doubted it. The thought of his parents "driving" after him, and talking on cell phones as they made ghost hunting a family effort came to him, and he couldn't suppress a shudder.

'But then, they could help me out with school,' he nodded, continuing his argument. No more problems with homework, maybe even no more curfew.

No more lies.

Why did that idea suddenly seem so appealing? Not having to worry about explaining himself and remembering everything he'd said to keep the cover. No more secrets. No more hiding whenever they showed up. And _he_ could tell them. That's why he'd erased their memories before. He'd wanted to be the one to let them know. He wanted to be able to apologize for all of the lies and the problems he'd caused. He didn't want them to "find out" through some random mistake.

'How long can I hide this from them?' he asked himself. It wasn't an unfamiliar question, he'd asked himself at least a million times before...but before, it had always seemed like he didn't have to hurry. He still didn't see the _need_ to, but his parents _could_ find out about him tomorrow...or the next day, or the next.

His jaw set in determination. "I've been hiding this for long enough," he said to himself. "Tomorrow, I'm gonna tell 'em. I'm gonna tell them I''m half ghost."

With that statement, he suddenly felt like a million pounds had been lifted off of his shoulders. Sleep came almost immediately after that, and he fell into a restful dream.

He didn't see the figure floating several feet outside his half-open bedroom window, and was too far away to pick him up with his ghost sense. A smile crossed her lips, and she turned off the listening device that had been planted in the half-ghosts room.

"Baby bro," she whispered into a communicator, "I think we may have just hit the jackpot."

_OoO_

"Would you like to see a movie?" Danny pulled himself out of the brief flashback to glance tiredly up at the stewardess, who had come back and was holding out a box of small tapes for Danny to see.

"Thanks," he smiled and looked back out the window, "but no thanks."

The woman shook her head at him. "Is there anything I can do for you. Something I can help you with?"

"I wish," Danny muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"No," he couldn't bring himself to turn around. "I appreciate it, more than you know, but there is really nothing you can do for me." The red-head nodded, tucked the box under her arm and walked down the aisle again. "There's nothing anyone can do for me," Danny muttered to himself dejectedly. "Nothing."


	3. Confrontation and Confession

Rewrite--

_Flashback_

"So, you're going to tell them?" Sam asked incredulously giving him a pointed look.

"Fiawee," Tucker muffled through large fork full of barely edible cafeteria food into his mouth. Sam's look of disgust had him shrugging, but obviously hurrying to swallow. "Ooo sood 'ave toad 'em a wong kime ago." He swallowed. "I mean, it's not like they won't understand."

"Why shouldn't they?" Sam asked, trying unsuccessfully to ignore Tucker's choice of food like she did every lunch period. "We know they will" She folded her arms, as Danny stood up.

"Yeah, but they had time to...how did Jazz say it? They had 'time to absorb it and accept it', and I practically saved their lives," Danny shook his head.

Tucker pushed the glasses on his nose a little higher before plopping his elbow on the table and waving the fork he'd just used to shovel his food into his mouth around, causing Sam's face to turn a slight shade of green. "So you've talked to Jazz about this already?" he asked. "Why would you trust her more than us?"

Danny sighed. "That's not it, and you know it," he pushed the food around on his plate, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. "Jazz just drove with me to school today, and I figured it was as good a time as any to tell her."

"What does she think?" Sam asked.

An annoyed half-smile appeared on his face. "She said I should wait for a good moment to tell them."

"That's not a bad idea, Danny," Sam commented, Tucker nodding in agreement.

The half-ghost shook his head. "If I don't tell them tonight, I'll lose the guts. I have to get this over with, or it'll never happen. Besides," he sighed, "Tucker's right. If should have told them at the very beginning."

"Danny, maybe you should listen to Jazz. She may nosy and overprotective, but she knows your parents pretty well," the pale-skinned girl pointed out. Danny looked down at his plate going over everything for about the hundredth time that day.

Finally, he shook his head again. "I'm sick and tired of lying. It's gonna happen tonight." He looked down at his plate with resignation, "At least I won't be grounded any more. I'm outta here."

"You haven't eaten anything," Sam pointed out. Danny shrugged, looked at his barely-touched tray, and handed the whole thing to Tucker who took it with an eagerness that startled even Danny.

"Thanks, dude!" He grinned, then his expression sobered. "Why are you going to class early?"

Danny shrugged. "I just need some time to think," he said and walked towards the tray drop-off area. He waved at his friends before he left, not even checking to see if they would wave back. He didn't catch the worried look that they exchanged.

As he slowly trudged down the hall, his mind continued to overturn his "plan", and yet again, he came to the same conclusion. It was the right thing to do, and they deserved to know. Didn't they? Danny shook his head, half in frustration and half in determination. His mind had been made, and nothing could change that.

So why did he have such a bad feeling about this?

oOo

Danny walked in the door to his house, trying unsuccessfully to swallow the lump in his throat. He'd tried just about anything he could think of to delay coming home (he'd even asked Mr. Lancer if he needed any help with anything after class). Unfortunately, that day he had no detention, for once feeling sorry about this particular fact.

With a deep breath, he walked through the door, and tossed his backpack, years of practice landing it just by the corner of the stairs where he usually picked it up after dinner, and walked towards the basement. He needed to get this over with, or he knew that it would take him several more months to work up the courage again.

It was now or never, he knew, although his mind seemed to betray him with thoughts of "What's wo wrong with never". He quickly shook his head to clear it and tried to reassure himself.

"I know they'll accept me," he muttered to himself. "I know it. They already have." That's why he had erased their memories. He'd wanted to tell them. He didn't know why, but he felt he had to. But no matter how much he assured himself, the butterflies in his stomach only seemed to get worse.

He walked through the kitchen door slowly, watching his feet and wondering if there were any last-minute changes he could try. He'd asked Jazz before he'd come home, and then asked her to not be too close when he actually told them. "Alone" meant no sister around to back him up. Of course, she'd argued the point, but in the end conceded and promised that she would not be visible when he came in.

"Danny?" his mother's voice calling his name had him shooting his eyes around the kitchen where he saw both of his parents sitting at the table. He'd expected them to be in the lab like they usually were at this time...

"Er..." he said, suddenly realizing he was not as ready as he wanted to be. "Don't you guys usually work until dinner?"

"We missed lunch," Maddie said, standing up and taking some empty plates over to the sink.

"Oh," Danny gulped.

"Is there something you wanted to tell us, son?" Jack asked in a strangely high voice. Danny looked at him for a moment, but he seemed just as goofy and aloof as normal, studying some book (probably on ghosts) intently. Like his father often did.

Ignoring the crawling sensation crawling up the back of his neck, the half-ghost gulped and nodded. "Uh, yeah, actually," he took a deep breath. "I...er...just wanted to tell you why I sneaked out last night."

"Good," Maddie looked over at him with a glare he didn't cherish. "I've been wondering where you were. I thought I told you 'school and home'."

"Well, yeah," Danny gulped, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I I...er...you're voices sound funny."

"I think we're both coming down with something," Maddie finished stacking the plates in the sink, and walked over to her husband. "You were saying."

He hated that tone of voice. They most certainly were not making this easier on him. "Well...I...uh...snuck out last night because I was...er...fighting ghosts. And," he went on before anyone could interrupt him, "I've been doing the same thing for the last year."

He hadn't been sure what to expect with that news, but he'd expected something, not his parents standing there blinking at him expectantly. He would have expected his father to start jumping in excitement at least (and a skeptical look from his mother), but nothing seemed to be worse than them yelling at him. Trying to push the whirling tornadoes that had replaced the butterflies in his stomach, he continued.

"You remember the accident, when I turned on the porthole, right?" He expected their faces to light up with pride like they usually did when the subject came up. They only nodded however, their attention completely on him. One thing for sure, this was getting progressively more difficult. "Well," he looked down. "Well, it's easier to show you, I guess." He concentrated and began the change. Two rings appeared around his waist like levitating hula-hoops, and separated, leaving the form of no human, but a teenage, white-haired ghost boy.

A very familiar teenage, white-haired ghost boy. "Well, when machine came on, it...er...sort of zapped me, and did more to me than I told you before." He looked down, feeling his cheeks burn in a combination of shame, worry and regret, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but...well...what I'm trying to say is, I'm half ghost."


	4. First Reaction

Rewritten-- 

Danny couldn't tear his eyes away from his white-booted feet for what seemed like years, half-knowing what to expect, but not sure how he himself would react to their reactions. He knew they'd eventually accept him, but what would their initial reaction be? Shock? Disbelief? Probably nothing too wonderful, but nothing that couldn't be--

The cocking of a weapon cut off his train of thoughts, and time froze. For an instant that lasted an eternity, his blood froze in his veins, and he couldn't help but think that he'd heard incorrectly. He must have heard wrong...he had to have... Unable to believe his own ears, he slowly raised his glowing green eyes and stared in disbelief at what met his eyes. Both of his parents now stood stiffly behind the table, crouching defensively while aiming various inventions at him.

"You're a ghost? THE ghost boy?" Maddie asked, her voice barely audible even in the suddenly deafening silence. "I-" She cut off, disappointment and shock already settling into anger that seemed to seethe through her body. Jack stood protectively over her, crouching slightly as well, pain and hurt in his own eyes. Danny looked at both of them in shock. He hadn't known what exactly to expect, but this had not been on the list.

Words from Jazz's conversation earlier that day floated through his mind, calming him and giving him hope for the situation yet. "They probably won't react very well, Danny. Just give them a little time. They'll come around."

Finally he took a deep breath and nodded, answering his mother's previous question.

"Well, I'm half ghost."

"Then you're no son of mine," Jack growled at him as the older man's expression hardened into utter disbelief and anger. Danny hated seeing him like that, and opened his mouth to explain, but his mother's voice cut him off.

"Danny Phantom," she shook her head. "The ghost who's threatened and terrorized the town...how...how could you Danny?"

Danny shook his head and stepped forward, only to stop when they cringed and crouched down further. "No," he said, realizing how quickly he was losing control of the situation...that is, if he'd ever had control to begin with. "I can explain all of that!"

"You shouldn't have to," his mother's dangerously soft voice hit him like a ton of bricks. "How could we have done such a horrible job of raising our son?"

Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing. This wasn't how things were supposed to go! His parents were supposed to freak out, but accept him...like he'd always believed they would. Like he'd always known they would, deep down in his heart.

"You guys have got it all wrong," he insisted, desperation creeping into his echoing voice. "I protect the town from ghosts! I don't hurt anyone!"

"That's why we have to pay millions of dollars in taxes to clean up after you."

"I saved the town!" he defended, unable to keep the hysteria he had begun to feel from causing him to panic. "I've saved the town dozens--"

"At what cost?" Maddie suddenly yelled. Danny stopped talking immediately. His mother never yelled. When she did, you didn't argue back if you had any sense of self preservation. "Ghosts are evil! ALL of them! That means you..."

Danny saw her finger move, and dodged out of the way of the ectoplasmic blast that burned the wall directly behind where he'd been standing.

"B-but, you promised," he muttered incredulously, his mind not seeming to grasp the situation. "I thought you would understand," he said in shock. "You said...and I thought.."

"Well you thought wrong," Jack growled. "Get out of here! Go through that hole to where you belong!" He shot at Danny, who couldn't seem to make his body even try dodge. The beam struck him hard, and he hit the kitchen cupboards with a bone-crushing thud. It took him a moment to recover to a point where he could stand, and found himself sadly grateful that they hadn't decided to throw more shots at him. Still, this had all gone horribly wrong. He should have kept their acceptance when he'd had the chance, or listened to Jazz and waited for a better time to tell them, but now he'd apparently picked the precisely wrong moment, and there was no going back...

He doubted Clockwork would help him even, as the older ghost had made it abundantly clear that Danny was not to try and redeem mistakes through his new-found friend. He'd been told on any occasion he'd been to see the master of time that how people reacted to the mistakes they made and whether they took responsibility for their actions would be the deciding factor in his life.

But this...

Now his parents stood, cowering in fear, rage and disbelief at the other end of the room, wanting him to leave. He could tell from the looks on their faces.

He didn't even answer them, but turned and ran out of the room, forgetting that as a ghost, he could fly.

"And don't come back," Danny heard his father yell after him, and found himself stumbling toward the familiar stairs that now seemed so harsh and cold, like everything else in the house. Still not able to truly believe the events that had just taken place, he stumbled up the stairs, not recognizing the numb feeling that had begun to creep through him.

He ran directly into Jazz, who had obviously been pacing at the top of the stairs. Seeing Danny coming up the stairs, she went down to meet him. He didn't see her until she stuck her hand out to stop him from running her over.

"That didn't just happen," he said to himself, "That didn't just happen."

"What didn't just happen?" she asked, her own voice raised and worried. "I heard ecto-shots! What's wrong? What happened."

Danny felt his mouth open, but nothing came out. "Danny, tell me!" she shook his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"They...they lied...they...hate me..." he managed to blurt out.

His sister stood up, looking at him in confusion. "They what?" He only shook his head and tried to move past her.

"Danny," she leaned over and looked him in the eye again," there is some misunderstanding somewhere, okay? Just wait for me to talk to them, okay?" With that, she walked past him, and hurried down the stairs towards the kitchen. She hadn't gotten half way from the base of the stairwell to the kitchen when she stopped dead in her tracks, her face paling incredibly

Danny didn't wait for a response from her after that look, but turned and half-ran, half-stumbled into his room. In a daze, he packed several clothes, his allowance money, and a few other odds and ends his numb mind thought he might need.

"I can't believe it," Jazz said from the doorway, her expression mirroring his own previous feelings of disbelief and confusion. "You'd better get out of here soon, they're preparing some sort of containment device."

Her words seemed to blanket what was left of Danny's mind, and he closed the suitcase he'd finished packing as if in a dream...or a nightmare.

"Danny!" He turned to face his sister when she called his name. She hurried toward him, and thrust something into his hands. "Here, just in case something happens." He looked down to see a fairly decent-sized wad of cash and her cell phone. "Give me your cell phone, so I can find you. It'll take a little while longer for them to figure out they need to track my phone instead of yours. I don't know what happened just barely, but it was wrong of mom and dad to act like that." She glanced angrily over her shoulder. Normally he would have replied with some sort of sarcastic quip about how he hadn't noticed, but his mind still refused to work for him.

Footsteps on the stairs caused them both to jump. Jazz whipped back around to face him, her turquoise eyes wide with worry. "Hurry! I'll hold them off," she pushed him towards the window. "I'll see what I can do, I promise." Danny nodded, already hovering. "Go over to Sam's. I'll try and reach you there."

"Jazz...I..." He looked at his sister, and a slight smile touched his lips, despite himself. "Thank you."

She nodded and hurried into the hallway. He hefted the suitcase, making sure he had a firm grip on the handle, and took off towards his friend's house.


	5. Second Reaction

--Rewritte 

The wind picked up around Danny as he flew invisibly but slowly on the wind, as if drifting aimlessly with it, heading in the general direction of his friend's house. His mind had gone almost completely blank with shock, to a point where he couldn't seem to remember anything more than Jazz's words, which he clung to like a lost sailor clung to a life-raft.

Of course, Sam's house would be the first place they'd look for him. His eyes snapped open and he stopped in mid-air as his mind suddenly jumped from almost no conscious activity to high gear. He'd be on the run for the rest of his life now...from his own parents. He'd have to go into hiding. At least How long would it be before his parents told the town...the mayor...the nation? The last thing he needed was another run around with everyone on his heels trying to capture him and turn him in.

Would the Guys in White come after him again? Would they team up with his parents? He shuddered. If that ever did happen, he'd have to leave town to say the very least. But where could he go? Where could he hide? Was there anywhere besides the ghost-zone that someone like him could stay?

It would have to be a large city or a non-existent town. Some place like New York, with enough people here and there that he could just get lost in the shuffle, or some place so remote, that no one would know it was there to look for him in. Of course, in a place like that, a random 14-year-old wandering into town would probably draw too much attention--

"Focus, Danny," he heard himself say, and took a deep breath. The last thing he needed to do right now was put himself into a panic. First thing first. He get to Sam's so Jazz would know where to find him, and plan everything from there.

Of course, there was one other option...but he would rather die than take it. The last place he wanted to end up was with his arch enemy, and he'd have to have completely lose his mind to even seriously consider it. Of course, if it ever came down to that...

"Worry about it when you face it," Danny muttered to himself, half to reassure himself and half to force his mind onto something else.

Get to Sam's. Then they could plan something. He doubted things would ever get that bad. And if they did...

Growling to himself, he continued towards Sam's large mansion, forcing his mind once again to other thoughts, knowing full well that he could never fully erase it from the back of his head, and that sooner or later, he'd have to come up with some sort of solution to all of this.

That thought did little to calm him.

oOo

Finally, he turned onto a street with fairly large buildings lining both sides of it. His mind had slowly drifted back into a daze with the lack of answers he had been able to come up with. Vaguely, he wondered if he felt badly about this regression or if he actually liked the state of numbness better than the hyper-active, adrenaline pumping thought processes his mind had suddenly thrown him into.

Without so much as a gulp, he landed and detransformed between two buildings a few houses down from Sam's. After a few seconds of simply standing there, he reached down and hefted the suitcase/backpack onto his shoulder, and stepped out into the afternoon sun.

The heat that usually blanketed the days this time of year had only recently begun to dissipate, but the warmth did nothing to penetrate the shield that had seemed to build itself around his brain. He felt cold; almost distant from everything, including himself. Vague segments of questions drifted across his consciousness, but he no longer paid them any heed.

_Get to Sam's house._

The one coherent thought that he clung to coming from his sister's worried face flashed before his eyes, crowding out everything else. One foot in front of the other, he made his way down a few houses and stopped in front of the familiar staircase leading up to the large door that he'd come to know so well. Tightening his grip on the suitcase strap. he swallowed, wondering how he'd explain this to her...or worse yet, her parents. Maybe he'd just tell them he'd be there for the evening. He'd probably have to leave before night-fall anyway, he sighed, concentrating on placing one foot on the next step until he reached his best-friend's door.

Well, he thought to himself, at least here he had a sanctuary for a short while. Her parents wouldn't be happy he was over. They didn't like him much. Of course, what would their response to his secret be? And what would the kids at school say? Had their opinion suddenly changed too? Of course, if his parents were after him, he couldn't go back to school. He snorted and rang the doorbell. He never thought he'd feel upset about not going back to school.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs next to the door from inside, and for a moment, he paused and wondered if he should go to Tucker's house instead. Almost as soon as it came to mind, though, he dismissed the thought. Jazz would try to get ahold of him here, so he needed to stay here until something forced him to leave...

Suppressing a shudder at that annoyingly recurring thought, he turned and focused on the door and approaching foot-falls. To his surprise, Sam opened the door. Normally at this time of day it was a maid or one of her parents who answered the door, especially if Sam didn't expect him. She peeked around the door, looking as if she were in a slight daze herself.

"Danny?" She asked.

He looked down. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

"Uh," she stood slightly straighter, but didn't open the door any more, choosing to peer through the slightly ajar opening, "not really."

He smiled sadly. "You know," he bit his lip and shook his head, "you were right. I should have waited for a better time to tell them."

"Huh?"he heard her reply as if through a heavy fog, kind of distant despite her being only feet away.

"Mom and Dad," he replied, "they...they kicked me out." He waited several seconds, and when no reply came, he looked back at his friend. She stood in the doorway, with her arms crossed, glaring at him and shaking her head.

"Of course I was right," she said finally. "And I'm not surprised that it took you this long to accept it." She looked up, the glare changing from gloating to disgust. "So the poor ghost-boy who can never accept that he was wrong is finally crawling here to get help from a friend who he never listens to?" She chuckled mirthlessly and leaned close to him. "You know what? I'm sick and tired of always having your back, and you never giving anything back! I'm tired of getting bad grades for you, and I'm completely tired of getting set up with you by everyone else in the school! I was going to tell you tomorrow that our 'friendship' is off. Guess I won't have to now." And with that she slammed the door, leaving Danny staring at the heavy oak of the one place he thought he would always have refuge.

Before, he'd felt numb, like someone had pumped him full of Novocaine or something, but he could still sense his feelings below all of that. Now, as he slowly turned and dragged his suitcase down the porch stairs, he realized that he couldn't even feel the numbness anymore.


	6. Unexpected visit

--Rewritten

'Where now?' Danny asked himself as he trudged slowly down the street. He didn't know if he wanted to trust anyone else tonight. He felt nothing now, but Jazz had talked about being "numb" often enough that he remembered something about it. Soon he would hurt...a lot. Probably within days, even, that is if he was still free and not in the hands of the Guys in White.

He planned on being far from here by then. A determination settled in his eye, and he whipped out his notebook. It took him a few seconds to locate a pen, but he eventually fished one out of his backpack, and scribbled a quick note on a scrap piece of paper. Then he shoved the pen into his pants pocket and ran towards his friend's house. He slipped the note under the door, hesitating for just a moment, wondering if he really should knock, but decided against it. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation.

After checking around to see if the coast was clear, he ducked behind some bushes along the fence on the side of the property. Seconds later he flew out as a ghost, headed towards the train station. The two silhouettes that had watched him from behind the house gave each other a high five, before they vanished.

oOo

Danny sat on the bench at the bus station trying unsuccessfully to even partially comprehend everything that had just happened, and everything he was about to do. He had unknowingly thrown his life into a tornado all because he didn't want to keep a secret. He should have listened more to his friends and waited for a better time to tell his parents. Maybe telling his parents at all was a stupid idea. 'Well, duh,' he thought sarcastically. Why had he thought that it would be a good idea?

He knew the answer to that question, though. He remembered sucking Freakshow (as a ghost) into the Fenton Thermos with a triumphant smile, and then his parents had come walking up to him. He'd been expecting some pretty drastic results. What happened next had surprised him more than just about anything else.

"I'm so proud of you!" his mother had said after throwing her arms around him, and then the crushing hug from his father immediately afterwards.

"Of course you didn't tell us," they'd said. They'd understood then. Why hadn't they now? What had gone so wrong? Why had they done this to him. They had lied and betrayed his trust...and still, he felt no rage. Vaguely, he recalled a slight surprise at that, but that didn't change his situation much. He sighed and dropped his head into his hands. Well, the only bright side about all of this that he could see was that now he could go somewhere like New York and try his hand at being a real super-hero.

"Daniel?" He jumped up at the sound of his name, and snapped his head up, expecting to see guns and ectoplasmic weapons pointed in his direction. Instead, he saw the last person he'd expected (and the last person he'd wanted to see) standing behind the bench. The only other half-ghost in existence stood with his hands on the back of the bench Danny sat on.

"Vlad!" he stood up very quickly, and began to back away from the wealthy, well-dressed, white-haired man.

Vlad observed but made no move towards him. Instead, he opened his mouth slowly. "Daniel, I heard what happened," he went on as if they were old friends instead of arch enemies.

"How did you know?" Danny asked warily.

"I keep a close eye on your house," he said, moving around the bench. Danny rolled his eyes. So Vlad did spy on him. Why wasn't he surprised? "When I heard, I flew here immediately," the older hybrid continued.

"Right," Danny said, inching towards the exit. "And you came here out of the goodness of your heart."

"Well, frankly, I came here to verify, and I was lucky to see you here, or I would have looked all over town, and you would have been gone by then."

"Yeah, whatever," Danny retorted.

"So where will you go?" Vlad asked, taking a seat and crossing his legs.

"New York," Danny replied before he could stop himself. He almost kicked himself for giving away information like that.

"Why?" Vlad asked, shaking his head slowly. "You won't be able to do anything there. Who will take a 14-year-old for a job? And what else will you do there? Rescue people? Save them? The only people they need saving from are themselves." He leaned forward. "But...I do have a job for you in Wisconson that-"

"No," Danny interrupted immediately.

"Why not, Daniel?" Vlad asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "I've never actually asked you that, and I'd like to know. Why won't you come and stay with me?"

'Maybe because in an alternate dimension when I did I ended up destroying the world,' Danny thought to himself dryly. Instead he shook his head. "Because I don't want to end up evil (or trained by anyone who is), I don't want to join anyone who hates my..." he paused and had to swallow the lump in his throat, "father so he can marry my mother, and I don't want power. I mean, hey...I join you, and we take over the world?" He asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Not going to happen."

"Take over the world?" Vlad raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Who gave you that idea?"

Danny blinked. "You did. The first time you met me you said together we could rule."

"The ghost world, Danny, I meant the ghost zone. Help those poor souls gain order, not like what they have now...that isn't order." He shook his head. Danny stood at the edge of the platform with his arms crossed, and glared at Vlad.

"If you think this is about your mother, well...when I heard what she'd done..." he shook his had sadly, "let's just say that I'm glad that my money couldn't buy her if she's like that. It looks like I seriously misjudged her. And now I know I'll never be accepted by her." Danny couldn't help but wince at that. Of course, if she couldn't accept her own half-ghost son, why would she accept an old, half-ghost friend? If Vlad noticed Danny's discomfort, he didn't acknowledge it. For several minutes, neither of them said anything. Finally, Vlad looked down at his watch and stood up.

"I'll leave this card," he took out a pen, and wrote something on a piece of paper. "If you ever change your mind, call me at this number. It's my personal cell phone. Until then," he set the card down on the bench as two dark rings appeared around his waist, and black-haired Vlad Plasmius jumped into the air, floating towards the ceiling. "I'm glad the platform was clear. Now," he looked down at his watch for the second time, "I can get back to my meeting on time."

He looked at Danny. "If you leave, I have no serious reason to stay, now. I'll resign as Mayor and go back to Wisconsin. You may not feel like you'll be welcome anywhere, but you'll always be welcome in my home," and with that he phased through the ceiling. Danny watched him leave, still wary of an attack of some sort, before he walked over to the bench to pick up his back-pack. He looked apprehensively at the card with the phone-number on it.

In a flurry of motion, he swept the card from it's place on the bench, and walked over to the garbage can.

"I'll never join you," he growled. "Never..." but his fingers couldn't seem to release the paper. Finally, he sighed, and slipped the card into his pocket anyway. Maybe it would come in useful later. He could give the number to the National Inquirer. That would be a laugh at the very least, and Vlad couldn't retaliate like he had before, not if he didn't know where Danny was.

He paced across the platform until the bus came. He handed the ticket to the driver, who checked it over and nodded, thumbing for him to pick a seat. Danny looked back out the door as it closed and saw Amity park for what he hoped was the last time.

_End Flashback_


	7. A Lead

Rewritten--

That's how everything had started. The bus had left just seconds after that, and he'd been on his way, sleeping on the bus when he could until he reached New York. He remembered how small he felt when he'd stepped off of the bus and onto the fairly dirty street somewhere in New York. He'd flown around until he'd been able to find some shelter (a small shack on top of a roof somewhere in the center of town). The next day, he'd started searching for a job. It took a few days, but a Newspaper company finally took the chance on him without his having more than an old school ID (he should have remembered to grab his birth certificate), but for some reason he hadn't even been on the job more than two or three days when they'd called him in and fired him. The same thing happened with the next job, and the next, and the next. It became harder and harder to find any place that would take him on, mostly he started getting into cheap labor, but it never seemed to last, and he couldn't understand why he couldn't keep a job he worked so hard at doing his best. He couldn't understand it. He'd been taught all his life that if someone worked hard for something, it would come...but then again, he'd also been taught that his parent's loved him.

At night, when he wasn't looking for a place to sleep (he didn't dare go to shelters, not quite sure what they would do if they found out his age and then subsequently figured out his identity when they tried to stick him in some home for boys), he would stop a few robberies...but nothing really significant, and when he was mentioned in the papers or on the news it was cameo and usually negative. The young vigilante magician that looked like he could walk through walls. He hadn't wanted to draw attention to the fact that Danny Phantom now resided in New York, so he'd simply tried to avoid any pictures and public notice, and seemed to be succeeding fairly well, but he still couldn't help but sigh or cringe when he heard something about the supposed super-hero wannabe.

All of this passed through his head in seconds,; far too quickly, and yet not fast enough to him. So now here he found himself on a plane headed to the only job he could really find and hold, or so he hoped (it churned his stomach that he was so desperate as to hope Vlad Masters wouldn't just dismiss him as every other employer had). Life wasn't ironic, it was horrible. It had taken everything he'd once loved, everything he'd believed in, and smothered it, and with it his spirit and hope. He almost didn't dare hope anymore. It hurt too much, the only thing that seemed to break through that ever reoccurring blanket of numbness. The more he thought about it, the more he wished (begged and pleaded with fate would probably be more accurate) he did not want to be in this situation...but then again, as of right now, the only other choice he had was to revert to a thief and steal to survive. Even living with Vlad seemed better than that to him. He didn't want to step one foot on what he'd always viewed as a "path of darkness"...but he didn't know how long he could keep his ideals at the Master's mansion. 

Why did he feel that he'd only prolonged the inevitable?

oOo

Vlad Masters waited in the Airport terminal with a smug and (if he did say so himself) rather devious grin crossing his face, searching the sky for the craft that would deliver his new prodigy. Just as he'd planned, everything had fallen directly into place. He had hired two ghosts to trail Daniel, and when things could be stirred up a bit...well, they had done an excellent job, and he knew from experience that Daniel wouldn't be able to sense the overshadowing if they weren't outside their hosts. It would be a shame to lose such good employees, but still, he might have to eliminate them if necessary. Until then, though, he would give them both a raise, and keep them around for various odds and ends, and if they didn't agree to that, well, he would not let his employees go until he decided himself. Now that Danny would be under his constant supervision, he was sure he could undo the "good" damage that had been forced upon his young and impressionable mind. The only thing he really wanted after that was Maddie (and the Packers, but that took a far third to the other two), but one thing at a time. He always got what he wanted, and for once everything had worked out as he planned.

His grin widened as he sat back in the luxury seat he'd had installed in his favorite limo, and flipped on his lap top. He had canceled all of his meetings for that day, but that didn't mean he didn't have work to do.

oOo

_3 months earlier:_

"What do you mean we kicked him out?" Maddie rounded on Jazz. "We would never do such a thing! I don't care what he told us! If he told us he'd killed someone, or even if he told us...he was a ghost!" she paced around the room in panic. "We would never kick him out!"

Jazz's eyes narrowed suspiciously at her pacing mother and distraught looking father. "How can you say that?" she asked, her voice raising several decibels despite her best efforts. "I heard you and he's gone, so apparently he heard you too! I can't find him anywhere, and it's because you rejected him when he tried to tell you his secret!"

"What did he try to tell us?" Jack asked. Neither parent claimed to have any memory of Danny coming home the day before, and when he hadn't shown up for school at all, the Fentons had...well, as much as Jazz hated to say it, they had 'totally freaked out'. It had taken another several hours before they could even locate Jazz, who had been out since school (and during lunch) looking for Danny with Tucker and Sam. When they had been able to contact her, she had basically told them where to go when they'd asked if she knew anything about Danny. It had taken them even longer to convince her to talk to them. They'd asked her what had made her so angry at them. That's when she'd practically lost it and started practically yelling at them about pretending not to kick their only son out of the house. They'd reacted with more than a little shock (first at seeing their normally energetic and upbeat daughter yelling, second at what she'd actually said apparently).

Jazz sighed, resisting the urge to glare at her parents. "What he had to tell you is between you and him. I have no right to tell you."

Her parents both paused at that, probably contemplating what had been so horrible that he'd believe they didn't want him there. Just as Maddie opened her mouth to speak, the phone resounded through the house, causing all three to jump. Without wasting a second, the blue-suited woman flew to the receiver an practically ripped if off of the wall.

"Fenton residence..." she blurted before pausing to listen for a moment. Not a second later, she slumped in disappointment. "No, Sam, we haven't heard anything about him." She paused for a moment. "No, we don't know why...we don't even know where to begin looking." Another pause. "You're still looking around with Tucker? But it's 2 in the morning!" Another pause, "You can't find him either? No the police haven't been able to track him down...No-" A beeping stopped her from continuing. "Just a second, hon, there's another call. Maybe it's Danny." She switched lines, and, with her eyes hopeful, spoke.

'Hello?" almost immediately she slumped into depression again. "Yes, this is Mrs. Fenton." A long pause followed, in which Jazz and her father exchanged several glances. "A lead! But it's 2 in the morn—thank you for continuing the search," her voice had calmed somewhat from the first two words she'd spoken, but she could not hide the anticipation in her eyes as her hands gripped the phone. "Go ahead. Tell us--Bus stop? To New York!? One way?" Jazz gasped, and Jack looked down, no emotion on his face, although his eyes spoke volumes of the worry and hurt he felt for his son. "But why...no we have no problem. I'm sure we can find the money somewhere...we'll leave immediately! We'll be there tonight!" She clicked the end button, and almost hung up the phone before she realized she still had Sam on the other line.

"Sam, that was the police. They told me he bought a one-way ticket to New York a few days ago, and they say we can go and help with the search effort, if only by just being there. We'll put up fliers and stay in a hotel...I'm sure we can find the money somewhere. Jack and I have some savings...no hon, you don't need to do that. Thank you though. I'm sure Danny would appreciate the thought. We'll keep you posted from New York, and someone will stay here, in case he decides to come back." Pause. "Yes, yes. yes, I'm sure. Good night Sam." She hung up the phone and turned to the other two occupying the room.

For several seconds no one said anything, and then Maddie spoke, her voice almost too low to hear, even from where Jazz sat only a few feet away. "Just how bad was this secret of his?"

Jazz shook her head. "Not bad enough to go to New York," Jazz said. "Something must have happened that I don't' know about."

"Well, you're coming with me to New York, and Jack..." she turned to her husband.

"I'll stay," he said, knowing her thoughts. "If we're lucky he'll come home. I'll call you every night," he leaned down and kissed his wife on the cheek, "I promise. Now let's get you packed." And for the first time in her life that she could remember, Jazz saw her parents united together on something besides ghosts. They didn't even agree on poetics, but here they were ready to conquer the world if it meant saving their son. Her respect for them rose several degrees that day, far more than anyone would have guessed when the conversation had started.

But now her mind turned back to other parts of the mystery. If her parent's hadn't kicked Danny out, then who had? They had certainly sounded like her parents, and Danny woudln't have been fooled by something that wasn't top notch and probably expensive--

Her eyes narrowed. Vlad was behind this somehow. It just made sense, but she knew better than to go rushing off to his place in search of her brother...although he did live just across town...

With a gulp, she pulled out her cell phone and called Sam back. The other girl picked up the phone almost immediately.

"Sam," Jazz addressed her little brother's best friend in a terse, no-nonsense tone, "You guys are still out looking, right? Well, there is one place I'd like to look before I leave tomorrow," she hesitated as Sam replied. "What do you mean he's not there? He resigned?" she couldn't help but slump in her chair. "No I haven't been watching the news, I've been a bit preoccupied." The Goth spoke again and Jazz sighed. "You're sure he went back to his Wisconsin Mansion? They confirmed his arrival, huh?" sigh "No, I don't have time to run to Wisconsin. Mom and I are leaving tomorrow." She paused again, listening to the other girls words. "Yeah, that does strike me as kind of funny, but Danny went to New York, not to Wisconsin."

Finally she sighed, and put her head in her hands. "You guys have to promise me you won't run of to Wisconsin to confront Vlad without me. Even if he is behind this, finding Danny and clearing this up is more important now. Besides, if Danny comes back, he might need someone else to help keep him here besides Dad." Pause. "You promise? Good. Thanks Sam. When we find Danny, we'll all go and talk with 'Uncle' Vlad."

She hung up the phone, and looked down at it. It had been Danny's cell phone until only two days ago, and now she couldn't even reach him through her phone (he'd turned it off, so she only got her voice-mail every time). Her eyes filled up with tears and she hugged the phone to her chest. 

"I'll find you, Danny," she said softly. "I promise."


	8. Landing in Wisconsin

Rewritten (if badly).

oOo

Danny put a hand on his stomach, wishing the futile effort could to something to dissipate the utter sickness that had formed there. The closer they got to the airport, the more uneasy he became, which didn't help the situation at all. What was he doing? This was VLAD PLASMIUS he was talking about. He put his head in his hands, shaking slightly. His life had gone so wrong so suddenly, and he couldn't explain it for the life of him...or the afterlife for that matter. He chuckled mirthlessly. Old habits died hard. Even after all this time, he still made up jokes like everything was back to normal. Like almost every person he had ever trusted hadn't turned on him.

Restless, he took off his seatbelt and began wandering around, avoiding the stewardesses by heading to the bathroom when they approached him. He didn't mind if they caught him, though, there wasn't much to see anyway. Really, he just wanted to walk off the nausea and jitters that just made him feel even worse. Still restless he transformed into his ghost form (hoping it might help...it didn't), and began to float through the plane invisibly, unable to stop his mind from rushing through the past months over and over again. He remembered too many details, and yet he felt as if he were missing something. Why couldn't he just forget?

The worst had been the phone call. He remembered it so clearly:

_Flashback_

"Vlad Masters Speaking," he heard on the other end. His breath froze in his throat. What was he doing? What would he say? Should he just hang up...? "Hello?" Danny still couldn't think of anything to say, but his mouth opened...admitting only a few croaked sounds. "Who are you!" Vlad growled at the phone, "How did you get this phone number?" His words seemed jog Danny out of whatever trance the older man's first words had put him into.

"You gave me this number," he said softly, "And you know who I am." For some reason, he didn't want to say his name...like it would validate this horrible dream if he did.

"Ah, Daniel," he could picture Vlad's smirk, and cringed now regretting his decision. "So, have you decided to take my offer?" Danny didn't say anything for several moments.

"Yes," he said finally. He hated this! He hated crawling to people for help, especially Vlad. He hated the way this was being handled...and he hated himself for whatever he'd done to make everyone so angry at him.

"I always knew your intelligence would expose itself in time," Vlad said. Danny could still hear the smirk, and it made his stomach tighten in annoyance and utter despair. "I'll have the proper arrangements made, and we can begin training when you arrive."

"Training?" Danny asked, liking this less and less.

Vlad chuckled lowly, "We can discuss that when you arrive as well," he said. "Now, I need you to go to the following address, and they will have a ticket in hand, and money for you to use when traveling. Take the...3:45 plane to Wisconsin from the New York Air Terminal on Thursday. I will look forward to seeing you."

"Right," Danny muttered as he copied down the address . "So am I," he said sarcastically when he hung up the phone. "Really looking forward to this."

_End Flashback_

The people he'd gone to were nice enough to give him a room, and the money and ticket he needed. It had been far too long since he'd had a decent meal, and they were more than cordial to him. Still, it hurt. He found himself unconsciously comparing the lady of the house to his mother...that hurt the most. He rarely saw her husband, but he and Danny got along well enough. They had even taken him to the air-port personally, and he regretted leaving them. He wondered how people like that could know someone like Vlad.

By the time this thought rolled around, Danny had circled almost the entire plane, including the wings and storage, and was just popping back into the toilet chamber when the intercom went off.

"We will be landing in Wisconsin soon," he said. Didn't even mention the city. This was only a stop for Danny, probably arranged by Vlad. He doubted they did this often. His stomach suddenly started a new round of acrobatics, worse than before. Deciding he didn't want to know what ghost vomit looked like, he changed back, and emptied his lunch into the toilet. This really wasn't a good idea, he realized. He'd known it all along, but there was no backing out now...was there? Danny couldn't seem to decide or remember. He stumbled back to his seat and curled up on the chair, ignoring the looks of pity the stewardess shot him whenever she passed.

"We are now landing, please make the proper preparations," the intercom came on again, and Danny watched a different stewardess go through actions and preparations. He followed along half heartedly, and looked down, only to see to his surprise that his legs had disappeared. His nervousness and unease was taking it's toll on his control over his powers even. How long had it been since he'd accidentally gone invisible or intangible? He took a deep breath, and tried to relax back into his seat, with little success, although his legs did return.

"Landing in Wisconsin," he said to himself, watching the ground begin to rise up to meet him. He was so numb he could no longer feel his stomach...and could only watch in a daze as they touched down and prepared to taxi down the runway. Danny stayed curled in the chair until the stewardess addressed him directly.

"You're the only one getting off here," she said gently. "And we've landed. There is an escort waiting for you." Danny nodded, and followed her to the door. He stepped off the plane, and tried desperately not to collapse. His legs felt so weak he half wondered if he really only floated along, because he couldn't imagine legs this weak being able to hold him up. With a gulp and a prayer of thanks that he didn't still have something in his stomach, he managed to walk towards the body-guard-type men standing at the door of a black limousine. Typical Vlad.

"Daniel Fenton?" One of the dark-suited men asked. Danny nodded, and when motioned to, slid into the back seat of the expensive car. The numbness returned as he curled up into a ball in the comfortable, soft seat. He knew he was being treated to the very best, but it didn't matter, Danny still hated his life.


	9. Calling Vlad

You guys are the best:D I love reading your reviews! So, for all the reviews, I'm putting up more chappies! (hint...the more reviews-critical or non, the more chappies I put up ;) )

8 8 8 8 8

Jazz and Maddie had been in New York looking for Danny for almost three months now, and still no sign of him. If he knew they were there, he was avoiding them well...not that Jazz was suprised. Maddie still had no memory of him telling his secret, but Jazz still knew, and she never went anywhere without a ghost detector in her backpack.

Three months had taken them down lead after lead, but to no avail. The cops hadn't had any luck either, and spending time in a hotel room had taken it's toll on them. They seemed to go through the motions of the days in slow-motion, and with no feeling. Her father wasn't doing too well either, she could tell by the way he said...or didn't say, things. So nither female was expecting or looking forward to any phone calls.

"I'll get it," Jazz said that morning, and trudged over to the phone.

"Hello, is a Mrs. Fenton there?"

"She's busy," Jazz glanced at her mother's normally pleasent and plump face. Now she looked more like the ghosts she had so desperately hunted after. Although she looked great in decent clothes for once, her face had an unhealthy and stressful glow about it. She smiled thankfully. "May I take a message?"

"We have a posetive lead on her son," the reciever said. "So when she get's back, if you could let her-"

"Oh," Jazz said suddenly, "here she is." The look on her face told Maddie everything she needed to know.

"Hello?" she picked up the phone, and for the first time in a week, a smile touched her lips. "You're sure?" she asked. "Where?" She glanced at Jazz. "Wisconsin? Do you know- an escourt? And no one knows who it was from? A Limo?" She looked at Jazz again, puzzled, but hopeful. "We were just packing to leave. Our money supply is running a little low...I see. Yes, please do, and we will join you when we can...oh." She looked downfallen again. "Yes, yes, I see. Very well...yes," she grabbed a pen and jotted a note on a piece of paper.

"Thank you," she said finally. "Yes, please keep us informed. Goodbye."

"Wisconsin?" Jazz asked.

"Yes, he landed in an airport on the sourthern end of the state, and was driven away by an escourt in a limo. He was flying first class." Jazz now looked as confused as her mother.

"He must be doing pretty well..." she said slowly, but it didn't make sense. THey had checked up on almost every job that would hire 14 and 15-year olds with only one or two leads, but those only confirmed that he had come to New York. Where had the money come from?

"The police want us to wait at home for this one, and they want to know if we have any aquaintances there that might fit the discriptions." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, "and the only person I know in Wisconsin with that kind of money is Vlad Masters."

"Well, it can't hurt to call him," Jazz said, handing her the phone. Maddie nodded and picked up the reciever. She dialed information, and got the number.

8 8 8 8 8

"Excuse me, sir," one of Vlad's secretaries tapped him on the shoulder at the airport. "There's a woman on the phone who insists she talk to you."

"Who?" He asked, not turning around.

"A Maddie Fenton." Vlad's face broke into a grin as he took the phone the secretary held.

"Maddie," he said, "how nice to talk to you."

"Uh...hi," he heard her say nerveously. "Um...we've been having problems with-"

"Daniel? Yes, I saw it on the news."

"You did?" Maddie swallowed, "Well, we have reports that he's in Wisconsin. Do you know what this is about?" He rubbed his chin, unable to hide a grin.

"Well, I haven't seen him, if that's what you mean," he said. "But I will look out for him for you."

"Thank you," Maddie said after a pause. "I appreciate that, Vlad. I didn't think you were in on this anyway."

"Why, thank you Maddie," he said. "I'm glad you trust me."

"Yes," she said, "Well, I have to go."

"Good luck on finding him," He said and heard a click from the other end. He was beaming when he handed the phone to the seceretary. He turned to see the black limosine pull up in front of the bus stop, and stood. Danny got out of the back of the car, preceeded and followed by two hired men. Vlad nodded at them, and then nodded at the Secretary. She took Danny's place, and the limosine drove away.

"What about my stuff?" Danny asked.

"What 'stuff' would that be?" Vlad asked. Danny nodded, conceeding. Good, his spirit was broken, and he would be easier to 'teach'. "Follow me," he said, heading towards the public restrooms. Danny followed him half-heartedly. "I don't want anyone witnessing you arriving at my home," he said. "Too much bad publicity," he said. "You get the royal treatment, and you show up at my house as a guest?" he shook his head. "The press would have a field day...so..." The two familiar rings appeared around his waist, and Vlad Plasmius stood there a few seconds later. Danny nodded, catching on, and the similar rings appeared around his own torso. "Follow me," Vlad said, floating towards the celing. Danny nodded again, and floated after him, heading to his new home.


	10. New Home

Jazz was not suprised in the slightest to see both Sam and Tucker waiting for them at the house when they got there. They looked up hopefully as Jazz and Maddie pulled in front of the house. Jazz hated to take their hopes down.

"The only thing we were able to discover was that he was in Wisconsin," Jazz explained to them after they had offered to help unload the car.

"Wisconsin," Sam said, as if a memory in her mind suddenly rang a bell.

"Yeah," Jazz shook her head, "But he arrived traveling first class, and was picked up by a limosine," Sam and Tucker both stared at her around their arm-full of suitcases.

"But-"

"Yeah," Jazz sighed. "We don't know how or from where he got the money." She watched as her Mother walked by them in a daze to numbly grab some more bags. "It doesn't make sense."

"Didn't you guys go to Wisconsin a few months ago?" Tucker asked, setting his pile near the couch to be sorted. Jazz and Sam followed his example.

"Yeah," Jazz wiped her forehead. "Mom and Dad said they fought this Ghost there," She looked up suddenly as if an idea had struck her. "Would that Ghost be the one getting to Da-"

"Jazz," Sam interrupted nerveously, "I thought you didn't believe in Ghosts."

"Er..." Jazz tapped her chin, "Well, there had to be something there that they faught. Doesn't mean it's a Ghost, I just don't have a better term for it." She said matter of factly, and turned on her heels and walked towards the door, stepping aside to let her mother in. Jack came down the stairs at the sound of them opening the door, and stopped his wife. She let him, and burried her head in his massive form. She didnt' cry, Jazz doubted she had any tears left, but the picture broke her heart. She'd never seen her parents so miserable.

"Why would a ghost want to do that?" Sam asked as she followed the other two outside.

"I don't know," Jazz shrugged. She didn't know the details of his "adventures" back then. "To get at Mom and Dad?"

"But why now?" Tucker asked. Jazz shrugged, and turned to see only Tucker behind her. Sam had stopped on the stairs, a thoughtful look covring her face.

"Sam," Jazz asked suddenly, "Do you know anything?" Sam seemed to be jerked out of her trance, and walked over to them.

"Well, I remember Danny saying that he saw the...uh...phenomenon ghost thing, and that he called himself...some name...like Plasma."

"Plasmius," Tucker supplied. "Vlad Plasmius." Jazz started at the name.

"VLAD Plasmius?" she asked. It was Sam and Tucker's turn to stare at her. "What did this VLAD guy want?"

"Um..." Sam looked embarrassed. "Your mother," she said softly. She fully expected a loud laugh from Jazz, but instead Danny's older sister rushed into the house.

"Dad," Jazz walked up to her parents, still standing in the hall. "You said that you experamented with Ghost technology in College. What ever became of that?"

"Jazz, this isn't a time for Ghosts," Maddie said, her voiced still low and depressed. Jazz would have jumped for joy at her mother's words if the situation hadn't been so grave.

"Please," she said, "This is important."

"So is Danny-" Maddie started, but Jack shook his head.

"If it get's our minds off of it for a little while..." He trailed off. Maddie looked at his face, and nodded.

"Well, I had several calculations incorrect throughout college..."

"Like the time that you got your friend, Vlad Masters in the face?" She heard Sam gasp.

"Yeah," He sighed. "Even your mother, who could spot just about anything at the time, couldn't work out all the bugs until just recently though."

"That's all I wanted to know," Jazz said, and turned to find Sam and Tucker dissapearing out the door. "We're going to finish unloading," she said, and slipped out after them.

"...d's just like Danny!" She heard Sam whisper loudly to Tucker. "He never told us, and I don't know why, but maybe he wants Danny to join him."

"I don't know..." Tucker was saying when Jazz cleared her throat and stepped through the door.

"Sorry about that, you guys," Jazz smiled at them.

"Uh, that's okay," Tucker shrugged nerveously.

"By the way," Jazz said, "Mom called Mr. Masters, and he said he hadn't seen Danny, but would look out for him. The cops searched his home, but apparently found nothing but some weird invention stuff." She shrugged. "Apparently there are other loons out there like Mom and Dad." She watned to pat herself on the back. She'd set up the whole converstaion, whith neitehr side even suspecting she knew what she did.

"Well, we gotta get home," Sam said suddenly. "It's Spring Break next week, and I have to plan my holidays. C'mon Tucker," she said and started jogging down the street. Jazz had a pretty good Idea what Sam would do over her break.

8 8 8 8 8

Danny layed on his new bed, staring at the celing, his mind returning to his life's events over and over again. He wished now, more than ever that he could just go back to the way things were before he got his Ghost Powers. Vlad had said that his DNA had actually been altered, though, and even if he got rid of his powers (he had been thinking of the Fenton Dream Catcher at the time), that he would still have the genes. His children would have it...that assuming he ever got married, and there was, as Vlad had pointed out, no real point in getting rid of his powers now. Danny had reluctantly agreed, but now he longed to find a time machine and stop any of this from ever happening.

"Mr. Fenton?" a knock on the door and his name being called jolted him out of his thoughts. He walked over to the door and opened it wearily, not noticing the blue mist rising from his mouth.

The door opened, and an elderly gentleman floated, Danny took a double take, yes floated there. "Mr. Masters has asked me to inform you to meet him. If you will please follow me." Danny sighed and walked out of the room, closing his door behind him. Still in the presence of a ghost, and not in Ghost form, he walked behind the floating figure, shivering. They took several turns, and finally ended up in front of several large doors.

"Here, Mr. Fenton, if you please," the ghost waiter opened the door, and Danny walked in. Vlad was sitting on one end of a weight room, sipping tea as he sat in an arm-chair. The weight-room had punching bags and exercize equipment scattered everywhere.

"Ah, Daniel," Vlad stood. "If you are to work for me, you must begin training immeditately."

"Why?" Danny asked. "What will I be doing." He said it out of habit, not really caring.

"Oh, various odds and ends," Vlad waved his hand, "But you may need to go through some dangerous ghost zone area's."

"Oh," Danny sighed and nodded.

"And you will need a new name," he said, "In case the police want to send you back."

"Why would they send me back?" Danny asked.

"Because, your parents would have been required to send a missing bulleton out about you, not to mention it would attract every enemy of yours like a magnet if they did."

"How would they know I had enemies?"

"You're a ghost, and what about the Ghost Hunter's Guild? Or the International Ghost Hunting Assostaion? Or-"

"Oh," Danny interrupted. "Look, let's get stated." He looked around.

"We'll start by training your human form, and move to your Ghost form later," Vlad said, walking over to a weight machine. "Now let's see how much you can lift without your ghost powers."


	11. Training and Traveling

Well, first I want to say hi to a few of the peeps that constantly read my stories (I'm not getting all of you, sorry. But please keep the reviews coming! I'll try and start replying to you more. Thanx!)

Cheerin4danny and Purrbaby: Well, I already basically have Deception written and on my computer. The sequel, however, is not going so quickly. So, I have about 20 more chappies that I can upload, about two a day if I can. :D So, get used to it, but also get used to the fact that during the next story, it may not be so quick.

LaBOBruen: I'm glad you like the idea. I wrote the first 6 chapters in one night...so that tells you how much I had it on my own mind. :D I don't think this would ever happen in the cartoons, but hey.

konijnemans: ;)

Mcrystal: I'm sorry I made you sick, but I'm glad you like the story. :hug: No, I wasn't sick at the time, but I normally have a good memory when it comes to things I feel.

And On With The STORY!

After a week of staying with his newly found mentor, Danny found himself spending more and more time in the training room. State of the art, no expense spared, Danny could change it from regular to ghost with the click of a button, and the transformation of the room was something to watch. Everything took on an eerie glow as the real world objects were replaced with objects from the ghost zone. According to Vlad, he'd had this room for the last three or four years, and constantly wanted to upgrade it.

As the days went on, though, training became more and more of an escape from his thoughts and his frustration. Not that he minded. If he thought on things too much, he knew he'd drive himself insane...and he did want to avoid that.

This morning, he growled at the punching bag he was hitting at the moment in human mode. He tried to remember back to his younger years, when he'd taken a few months of Karate before he had stopped going. He couldn't remember why, but what little he did remember, he used.

"Ah, you're already here," he heard the cool voice behind him. He gave the bag a few extra hard punches and turned to face him, folding his arms. "Excellent," Vlad walked over to the panel at the wall, and pushed a few buttons. Several robots that Danny had never seen before appeared. "I'm starting you on specialized training," he said as he walked over to his usual chair, tea in hand. "Today the only Ghost power you can use, is intangibility." He looked at Danny.

"Why?" Danny grabbed a towel and started to wipe his head.

"Because some situations will allow only ectoplasmic energy blasts. Some allow only invisibility, etc etc. The intangibility exercise is the first to start with because it can be useful in the ghost zone, and the real world." He picked up the paper that had been at the table, and pushed a button on the remote. "No flying either," he said as the robots sprang to life. They caught Danny totally unprepared, and knocked him several feet away. Vlad simply shook his head and continued reading while Danny got up, turned ghost, and proceeded to do his best to beat the stuffing out of the robots.

Neither noticed the invisible presence watching them.

It wasn't coincidence that took Jazz by Sam's house on the first day of spring break. After all, their first day of real research should prove useful...or they'll do something, I'm sure. "They'll probably come up with some sort of solution" Jazz smiled to herself as she turned the corner. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Vlad Masters was, at least in some way, responsible for Danny's disappearance. It only made sense.

She turned onto Sam's street, having driven her brother's friend home several times, when she saw the Taxi pull up.

"Come on, Tucker," Sam appeared at her front door, and turned to yell back in the house. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get Danny back!" Jazz stared, unbelieving, as Sam carried a fairly small bag down her steps and threw it into the back seat of the Taxi.

"I'm coming!" Tucker said, carrying no less than three bags, heaping full.

"Why do you have to carry so much?" Sam rolled her eyes. He opened his mouth to reply, but spotted Jazz staring at them instead.

"Oh..." he said nervously, "Hi Jazz." Sam turned quickly, a nervous grin crossing her face as well.

"Where are you..." Jazz started, and then shook her head. "You know where Danny is, don't you?" She asked. Sam and Tucker both started stuttering a response, but she cut them off. "Please," she said softly, "Let me come."

"Honey, I'm really not sure about this," Maddie was saying over the phone, Jazz stuck between Sam and Tucker in the middle of the back seat.

"Don't worry mom, they just weren't able to get ahold of me, but I"ll be back in a few days."

"Well," she felt her mother giving in.

"Look, I'll call you every day. We're heading up to the Great Lakes area."

"And they're paying for everything?" Her mother asked.

"They...er...need a more responsible person to go along, or they'll get into major trouble." She saw Sam roll her eyes out of the corner of her eye. Tucker didn't seem to be listening at all though.

"Well, I guess it's okay," She said, "but if you don't call back every day, we're coming there after you."

"Thanks mom!" Jazz sighed with relief. "I promise! I love you!" She hung up the phone and grinned at Sam. "Thanks again," she said. "I didn't know you had this kind of money at your disposal..." she dropped off.

"Don't worry about it," Sam muttered. They drove the rest of the way to the airport in silence.


	12. watching from a distance

Danny ducked as several robots came at him, causing them to crash into each other and send out a spray of sparks. Others shot ectoplasmic beams at him. He turned intangible and started jumping behind things...and then through them. He ran through several obstacles before jumping through the floor. Leaving his hands tangible, he used the momentum to swing down, and up and foot first into a robot that was following. Then he dived through the punching bag, and into the base of the boxing rink, where he phased himself through the floor, and took a breather.

"Not good enough, Daniel," a voice next to his shoulder said. Danny hated going through solid things like this because he couldn't see, but he knew who the voice belonged to.

"What?" he asked the darkness. "What's not good!"

"They'd want you here...you're contained, and you'd have to take the long way out of it. When you can't fly, it's a hindrance, and you can only stay intangible for a short amount of time."

"There's a limit?" Danny said, suddenly petrified to be there.

"You've never noticed?" Vlad's voice blurted.

"I've never really tested it," Danny replied. "I'd better get outta here..." He began to stand up, but he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't panic. You'll loose if you panic, like you have for the last three days!"

"I've beat every robot you've thrown at me!" Danny growled. He hated when Vlad watched his training...but he was fast becoming addicted to how much he forgot when he concentrated on the battle. He needed the escape almost as much as he needed the training...and he needed the training badly...although not as badly as Vlad seemed to believe.

"Not unscathed," Vlad pointed out. Danny shook his head in frustration. Again, he had to concede, and he hated it. He'd spent every night the last few days healing and trying not to roll onto an ecto-burn. The sore muscles caused him constant pain, and he could barely make it to breakfast at all. Taking a deep breath, he listened for the droids above him. He heard nothing, and drew a quick conclusion. When Vlad's hand was no longer on his shoulder, he crawled through the darkness to where he hoped was a corner of the rink. Then, reaching out with his foot, he stuck the tip through the floor, making it visible. Immediately, he pulled it back, and crouched as several shots were heard. He jumped up and quickly seeing the robots, dived at one, taking it back into the darkness of the base of the boxing rink, and leaving it there. He'd never done that before...and the thought of it scared him. The molecules would have to fuse for it to stay there. That would instantly kill anything living...wouldn't it? The thought made him shutter.

He jumped out of the rink again, in a different place, and grabbed for another of the round droids. Not for the first time, he realized how dangerous his powers really were, but quickly pushed the thought away. As he continued to fight, though, the thought kept dancing across his mind, no matter how hard he tried to ignore or banish it. With a regretful sigh, he couldn't help but wish for the days when he had been blissfully unaware of how dangerous he really was to those around him. He chuckled sadly as a new thought of how Ironic it was that he now wished for the days when he had wished he didn't have any ghost powers at all, crossed his mind.

Danny fell onto his bed exhausted. Training had been particularly hard tonight, but Vlad had finally complimented him. Not that he cared...he still hated being here, but he liked to think he was making some sort of progress.

"He's doing that on purpose, you know," a voice said to him, and Danny realized that his ghost sense had been going off for several seconds.

"Who's there?" he asked, not even getting up. Vlad had spirit servants working around, and they floated by invisibly all the time. Strange, but Danny hadn't seen any human servants, and the ghosts never talked to him. He had never felt so alone as he did when he'd moved here. The first few nights, he had curled up and ducked under the bed...it reminded him of when he was young and he'd sit in his mother's arms in a closet while she talked on the phone or something. He had no idea where she'd picked up such a habit, but it seemed to help him now. He felt lost and isolated...but that had also been when the training wasn't as difficult, and Vlad had just wanted to see what he could do. He'd been easy to impress then. It seemed like an eternity ago, although Danny knew he'd only been there for a few days.

The teenager shuttered where he lay on the bed and finally sat up. He didn't want to impress that man. Even if he wasn't as evil as he'd first thought...there was still something about him that Danny did not like. "Who are you?" He asked again.

"My name is Alesha," a timid voice spoke again. "I've been watching you."

"You've been watching me in my room!" Danny asked.

"No," a girl appeared in front of him. "This is the first time I've ever come to your room. I watch you train."

"So why can't I sense you?" he asked.

"When Vlad's in the room, you don't pay attention to your ghost sense, right?" she asked.

"Oh," Danny looked around nervously. "Er...right. What did you say earlier?"

"He's playing mind games with you," she said. "He's been doing that to other ghosts for years." She glared back at the door. "He doesn't compliment you for weeks, sometimes months on end, and then finally does. It's one of his more pleasant tricks, actually, but very subtle, and very useful."  
"Oh," Danny thought back, and realized she was telling the truth. "Wow..."

"It works really well, doesn't it," she shook her head.

"Yeah," his eyes narrowed and the thought that Vlad WAS just as evil as he'd first suspected crossed his mind. Then he looked up at the girl still floating before him. She had dark brown skin, and the bright-green spectral eyes that most Ghosts had. Her long, black hair hung over her shoulders, but seemed to float at the same time. All in all, she was very pretty.

"So," he rubbed the back of his neck, taking his thoughts purposefully away from that track, "why are you telling me this?" She snorted.

"I was tricked into working here," she said bitterly, "and I doubt I'll ever be able to leave with his knowledge. I don't want that to happen to anyone else." With that, she dove through the floor, leaving an incredulous Danny in her wake.


	13. Visitors

I'm sooo sorry I didn't upload! Some things came up...; ahem Please forgive me! Posting four chappies!

MCrystal, I had to laugh at your comment! But, I am warning you that things get worse, and then they get better, and then they get much worse, and then they get okay, and then they get really bad, and then they get really good, and then they get not so good, and then things get REALLY REALLY REALLY bad (at the end of the next book), and then...Hmm...haven't thought that far yet. ;) So I don't know how this is going to end.

Lavenderpaw: I tried to check out your story, but I couldn't find it. I guess they hadn't updated yet or something. I will get to yours, promise. If I don't, remind me in another e-mail. Thanx for reading:hug:

8 8 8 8 8

"I am leaving for the day, Daniel," Vlad said from the doorway. Danny tried to supress a smile. The longer he stayed at this house, the more vile he felt...like the very air he breathed tainted him. Maybe withthe initiator of the "vileness",the feeilng might start to fade as well. "It's a business responsability," The older man continued, "but I will return before nightfall so we can resume your training." And with that he walked out the front door. Danny just leaned by and watched him leave. He felt more alone than ever after Alesha's visit last night. He'd slept beneath the bed again, wishing that he could just leave this castle and go home, although he didn't know if he could call anywhere home now. He was more determined than ever to find a way to leave, now.

He waited in the lobby for several seconds, for what he didn't know. He simply didn't feel like leaving...almost as if he were waiting for Vlad to return, and say he was only testing him...

For the first time since he had arrived, Danny did not want to go to the gym and work out. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, so he wandered around the castle, half hoping to run into Alesha. Although he passed several invisible ghosts doing various things, he wasn't in Ghost mode, and no one stopped him.

After an hour of wandering around, he finally decided that being a Ghost in this particular castle was far better than wandering as a human, and he transformed. Going invisible, he could now see everyone invisible around him, but he still wasn't able to find Alesha, and returned to the Lobby, where he overheard and saw something unusual.

"...sorry, but he isn't here. And even if he were, you wouldn't be able to see him without an appointment." An elderly ghost was saying into the com system that was hooked up to the front gate.

"We just want to ask him something!" the familiar voice, even over the intercom froze him where he floated.

"I'm sorry but..."

"Let them in," Danny said. The ghost turned to him.

"But, young sir, I..."

"Let them in," Danny repeted, his voice dangerous now. The ghost, seeing the look in his eyes shrugged.

"Very well, you will be allowed in," he said and turned off the com. "I do not think that Master Plasmius will be happy with this."

"I'll answer to it," Danny said. "Please take them into the Library," Danny quickly turned back into his human form. "And if there are any ghosts around to eavesdrop, I will know," He warned before shutting the door. The ghost gentleman became visible, and walked up to the door muttering under his breath.

8 8 8 8 8

"I still think we should have waited for Jazz," Tucker said as they walked down the long driveway towards the mansion.

"She had to take care of her missing luggage," Sam said, "And besides, she just tagged along." Tucker let the matter drop, but Sam's head buzzed with guilt. So she was hurt that Danny had left like that, but that didn't mean she had to get on Tucker's case too. She'd have to make it up to him later. Her actual reason, and she knew it, was that she wanted to confront Danny without Jazz being there. She wanted to see what had happened. The police had assumed he'd run away when Tucker had come forward with the note. It had been slipped under his door, but had slid under the couch, and they hadn't found it until at least a week later. She didn't really know why, but she had to do this as a friend...as Danny's friend, with no ties. She had to know if SHE could get him back...

She shook the thought from her mind. "No," she mumbled to herself, stepping beside Tucker onto the porch.

"What?" Tucker asked just before the door opened.

"Later," Sam hissed. The butler gestured for them to enter the Enterance Hall, and closed the door behind them.

"If you will follow me please," he bowed to them, and begand walking down the hall. Sam and Tucker exchanged glances before following.

"He glows like Danny does," Tucker whispered to her. Sam nodded, noting it, and motioned for him to be quiet. The butler stopped at two large doors, and bowed, waiting for them to enter. They did so, and he closed the doors. They both stared at the figure leaning against a high-backed chair, centered in the large library, and they both breathed the same name.

"Danny!"


	14. Rejection

Danny stared at his friends with a stone face for several seconds before they finally snapped out of their shock.

"Danny! What are you doing here?" Sam literally yelled. Danny didn't answer her, but moved around to the front of the chair and sat down, his arms folded, and his face still emotionless. His head was bowed slightly, and he was looking down, so she couldn't see his eyes.

"Where else was I supposed to go?" he asked quietly. Sam stared at him for a moment before speaking up again.

"Look, Danny...Whatever happened with your parents...why didn't you come to us?"

"Did you read the note I left Tucker?" Sam glanced over at Tucker, who shrugged, and shook her head.

"The police took it before I could read it."

"And he didn't tell you?" He shot Tucker an angry glance.

"I thought she'd already know!" Tucker defended, taking a step back.

'What?" Sam looked between the two.

"I told him what happened," Danny stood and began pacing, unable to keep still any longer. "After my parents kicked me out, I went to your house." He glanced at sam, and shook his head sadly. "I thought I would always be able to go there if I needed help...but I got there...and you slammed the door in my face. You told me our friendship was off, and you left me on the porch." He glanced at her, "What was I supposed to think? Everyone but Jazz had turned against me." He shrugged, "So I left."

"Hey," Tucker spoke up. "You didn't give me the chance!"

"I told you to talk to Sam about it," He rounded on Tucker, "I asked you to in the letter. Don't you think that might have been a little important? Nice to see that our friendship ment so much to you that you forgot." Tucker opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Danny watched with a cold, empty satisfaction as his fromer friends stared at him in shock.

"Danny, I" Sam started, but he cut her off with a glance from his dull, lifeless eyes.

"Samantha," she winced at the sound of her name. He only called her that when he was really angry at her. "You weren't there for me when I needed you. Why should I think that you would be again?" He shook his head and turned his back on them. "Don't tell mom and dad I'm here."

"But Danny..."

"Just leave, okay?" he glanced at them, and two rings of light appeared at his waist. A few seconds later, Danny Phantom floated above them, and they could only watch, trying to digest his words. "Don't come back," he said as he floated through the roof and into his room. He didn't see the two people he had counted on since Kindergarten walk numbly out the door, staring ahead in shock. Nither of them remember the butler showing them the way out, but Sam suddenly found herself walking back towards the local bus stop that would take them into town.

"Tucker..." she said softly, "We failed, didn't we." She said it as more of a statment than a question, and Tucker didn't answer. Depressed and gloomy, they reached the bus stop and waited for the vehicle in silence. As they sat there, Sam felt tears start to run down her cheeks. She had never failed before, especially when it came to her friends. She didn't like the feeling.


	15. Incomplete puzzle

"YOU LEFT WITHOUT ME!" Jazz screamed at them as soon as they trudged into the hotel room Jazz and Sam shared. Seeing their expressions, Jazz immediately regreted her words. Sam and Tucker walked in slowy, probably unaware of their unanimous steps, and sat on the edge of the bed in tandem, staring at the ground.

"You found him, didn't you," she said softly. Their silence told her everything, and she sat on the bed opposite them.

"He didn't even listen to us..." Sam muttered. Tucker looked over at her, and then looked up at Jazz.

"Apparently, what sent him to New York was he went over to Sam's house and-"

"I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!" Sam shrieked suddenly, standing up. "NEVER! How could he think I would...I don't even remember...I..." She couldn't finish the sentance. Jazz, seeing her broken state of mind, instantly stood up and walked over to her. Sam backed away at first, but Jazz only held out her hand.

"That's what my parents said," Jazz said softly, "and I believe them. Just like I believe you." Sam's eyes, now swoolen and red from crying silently on the bus looked up at Jazz, a fresh onslaught of tears threatening to come through. Jazz smiled again, and put her arms around Sam. After a moment of shock, the Goth girl finally gave in and started sobbing loudly into Jazz's shoulder.

"I failed him, I failed him," she kept repeating. Jazz stroked her hair and tried to calm her down.

"Shhhh, you didn't. How could you if you don't know what happened? We just don't have all the pieces yet," she glanced at Tucker, who also looked to be on the verge of tears.

"I didn't forget..." he said, "It just...never occoured to me." He looked down. "Sam didn't fail him, I did."

"No," Jazz said loudly. Sam stopped sobbing and looked up at the older girl. "No one failed him. I think we are all being deceived here, but we have to prove it." She looked down at Sam. "We're not giving up until you remember everything, or we have an explaination as to why you don't, just like mom and dad." She sat down on the edge of the bed again. Sam joined her, and Jazz put her arm back around the younger teen.

"Now," Jazz began softly, "I know it hurts, but you have to tell me everything."

8 8 8 8 8

Danny sat, curled up in his bed, staring emotionlessly at the large window of his room.

"Why didn't you listen to them?" he heard a voice behind him.

"Alesha?" He turned and looked for her, once again amazed at how he'd begun to ignore his ghost sense going off so often.

"Why would they come here if they didn't really mean to apologize?" Alesha responded. Danny shrugged and turned away from her, grabbing a pillow and hugging it.

"Sam's really stubborn. She doesn't keep appearances for others, but she does keep them up for herself." He shrugged, "I guess that's why she came, just to say that she tried. She does that sometimes."

"That sounds really deep for a 15-year old human," Alesha commented.

"A couple of months looking life in the face, in all it's unmasked horror can do that to a person," Danny commented bitterly.

"So you don't think she has any regret at all?" Danny closed his eyes, as if trying to shut out her words.

"I don't know."

"That's a lie," she said almost immediately. Danny turned and sat up, glaring at her. "You do think she does, but you're still angry at her. You don't want to forgive her."

"No, I don't know!" Danny growled. She didn't respond for several seconds.

"How sad," she shook her head finally, "I almost thought you were growing up." She leaned closer to him. "You know, He," she stuck her thumb over her shoulder, "holds grudges too. I thought you didn't want to be like him." Her words stung him far more than any physical punishment ever could have. He could only stare in shock as she turned and phased through the door. Danny knew very well who she referred to when she said "he".


	16. Looking ahead?

Danny was still curled up in his room when his ghost sense went off, and someone knocked on the door. He didn't answer, but they phased their head through anyway.

"Dinner is served," said a voice. "Master Vlad said he expects you shortly." Danny's fists balled as he forced himself to get up. He did NOT want to go down and facethat managain, but before his feet had touched the floor, the thought that he would have to put up with facing him for a long time yet had melted his resolve. Sighing and unable to fight off the depression, he trudged out the door, and down the hall and the long stairs. He tried not to look glum as he entered the enormeous dining room, and walked up to a seat a few chairs away from Vlad, who sat at the head of the table.

"Ah, Daniel," Vlad said, checking his watch. "I wondered when you'd grace me with your presence." Danny could only nod as he sat down, and picked up his fork. The first course of the meal had already been layed out before them. Vlad watched him for a few moments before leaning forward.

"I hear you had some visitors today. May I ask what happened?" Danny sighed. He'd known this was coming.

"I told them not to come back again," he said. "I don't need friends like that."

"Ah, old friends," Vlad nodded. "Indeed, you need to put your old life behind you. You're with me now." It was all Danny could do to not cringe at his words.

8 8 8 8 8

"Only ectoplasmic shields and blasts today," Vlad said, taking his usual seat. They'd come to the now familiar training room. Danny looked at him suprised.

"So, I'm done with the intangiblity?"

"Daniel," Vlad shook his head and picked up the paper sitting next to the chair. "You are never 'done' with any of the training aspects." He began looking over the paper, all the while talking through it to Danny. "It's just time to move on for now."

"Oh," Danny sighed. Why did everything seem so hopeless? Was it really that bad here? He didn't want to answer his own question, and began the transformation just in time to throw up a shield, blocking the robots coming after him. It took him a few seconds to get into the battle...and the familiar, addictive feeling of forgetting everything else and focusing on the battle took him.

He barely noticed that the last droid had been destroyed, when he looked around, ready to send blasts everywhere, but nothing came for him. Looking at the rubble, he stood, slightly shocked in the center of the mess.

"Wow, that was fast," he looked down at his hands.

"Indeed it was," he heard Vlad behind him. Danny turned to see him leaning foward, an unreadable expression on his face. "How long have you had your powers again?"

"I...er..." Danny counted on his hands, "Almost a year, sir."

"Call me Vlad, son." Vlad sat back in his chair. Danny shot a look at him.

"Don't call me son," he said slowly, and dangerously. Vlad didn't respond, but he still sat with his hand on his chin. Danny stood there for several minutes before Vlad snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

"That will be enough for tonight," he said, getting up and tucking the paper under his arm. "The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please." Danny glared at Vlad as he walked past, all the way to the door. There, he turned and looked at he prodegy. "I don't want you tiring yourself, so take the night off from working out." Danny watched in confusion as he left. He didn't feel tired at all. He couldn't help but think that Vlad was planning something.

"Would you come with me?" A voice behind him caused him to turn, ectoplasmic blast ready.

"Alesha?" He put his hand down. She smiled and floated up to him.

"There's something I want to show you," she smiled. It was the first time he'd ever seen her smile, of course it was only the third time he'd seen her at all, but that was beside the point. Her already pleasent features were only enhanced by her smile.

"I guess," he shrugged. It wasn't like he had anything else to do.


	17. The Natural Portal

Mikephantom: When people hurt, for some reason, they think that a "revenge" take will be better. Kind of an "I hurt, so can you". He doesn't really care...he's just bein a teenager.

The Halfa Wannabe: Thank you for reading, and I'm glad you like it. Welcome. :D

8 8 8 8 8

"Um...Alesha?" Danny looked around at the green foliage that covered the grounde below them, "how long have we been flying?"

"Almost half an hour," she said without looking at him.

"Oh...then...where are we going?" She giggled.

"You'll see! Are all humans so impatient?" Danny looked at her surprised.

"How many humans do you know?"

"Only you and Master Plasmius," she said, her voice dropping the mirth it had carried only a few seconds before.

"Oh," Danny fell silent, and they continued to fly north-east. Finally, a large body of water came into view.

"Lake Michigan," she grinned, "That's out destination."

"Why?" Danny asked. She turned and smiled at him again.

"You'll see!" Danny grinned back and they proceeded to fly over the lake. When the land behind Danny was barely visible at all, Alesha stopped and looked around. "Where is it?" She held up her hands, and they began to glow green. Almost instantly, a light several yards away began to glow as well.

"I'm always too far south," she sighed and flew towards the light. Danny followed, his curiosity peaked. When they reached the light, it looked like a little ball floating on the water below.

"What's this?" Danny asked.

"It's a natural porthole," Alesha said, lowering and reaching towards it.

"How do you find them?" he asked, amazed.

"Well, you have to be pretty close, but you can use your powers to search as well as attack and defend," she shrugged. "At least I can."

"Oh," Danny said. "How do you know where to find them?" She turned and faced him, her hands stopped glowing, and the eerie green light that illuminated her faded as well.

"They usually happen where a great amount of living things died at once, in horror. Often in the middle of large forest fires, but those are weak and usually don't last for very long. The more intelligent the life that dies, and the more emotional the manner in which they die determines on how strong the porthole is. When several people cross over at once, it leaves a residue, and that's often how ghosts get into and out of the real world." She looked questioningly at him. "You didn't know that? I thought your parents were ghost hunters."

"Er..." Danny blushed, "I never really listened to them when they went off on stuff like that." She shook her head, smiled, and turned away from him again. Her hands began to glow, and she reached towards it.

"You'd better touch it first, if you don't know how to find them," she said. Danny bit his lip, wary of ghosts from his previous encounters, but shrugged it off, and reached towards the light. He felt it as soon as he touched it, although he couldn't describe the object as "solid". Immediately, a bright flash overtook his vision, causing him bo blink and look away, and then, for quite a while, he couldn't see anything.


	18. Putting the puzzle together

It took several moments before Danny's eyes adjusted to the dimness around him. He couldn't hear any noise around him, so he decided that it would probably be best to stay put. After a few seconds, he heard a popping noise behind him, and felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You're very trusting," he heard Alesha's voice. "I could have left you here."

"But then Vlad wouldn't have been very happy," Danny pointed out.

"How would he know it was me that left you here?" Danny nodded at her comment, his eyes beginning to adjust to the world that was the ghost zone.

"Well, thanks for not leaving me," he nodded and grinned. "And remind me to close my eyes next time I come across a portal," he said, rubbing them. "They're still adjusting." Alesha's laugh at his comment was contagious, and he couldn't help but smile himself.

"Come on," she said, taking his arm and floating off in one direction. "It's this way, although we still have a while to fly."

"Lead on," Danny muttered, still trying to get the flash out of his eyes. At least he could see where he was now. If only the bright purple light that seemed to grace his vision would go away…

8 8 8 8 8

"Okay," Jazz said, "I'm going to go over this again." She started pacing in the small room she and Sam shared. "Danny comes home late one night. You guys said he was fighting ghosts, and mom came in asking where he was on the same night." Sam and Tucker both nodded. "Then, for whatever reason, he decides to tell us his secret."

"I still can't believe you knew the whole time," Tucker muttered. Jazz shrugged and continued. "I remember opening my window, knowing that he likes to sleep with his window open, so I would know what was going on. I don't remember what happened, so I must have dozed off, although I did want to see if he got home safe…" she faded off, tapping her lips with her finger, but shook her head and continued.

"The next day, he tells you guys about the plan, and comes home to tell mom and dad. They freak out, and kick him out, but don't remember. I know this conversation happened because I heard them, but they insist that they never talked to him." She looked at Sam. "So, he turns to you, and claims that you freak out on him as well, although you insist the same thing my parents do." Sam looked down, shaking her head. Jazz put a hand on her shoulder before continuing. "Unwilling to believe everyone had turned on him, he just decided to cut his losses and leave." She looked around. "He ends up going to New York for three months, but then he gets on a plane and travels here in style. Now, he couldn't have earned that much in three months…unless he was…" she faded off. "Well, that's beside the point. I don't know how he could have made that much in three months as a 14-year old. Let's just leave it at that."  
"So, he ends up here, in the mansion of a billionaire 'friend' of my fathers," She looked around, "So angry at his friends that he refuses to even talk to them for more than a few minutes." She sighed. "There are things here we don't know, and we can't get the whole story until we have everyone's point of view."

"How do we do that?" Tucker asked. Jazz glanced at Sam, who still sat on the edge of the bed, looking down.

"Well, you guys tried," her face hardened, determination showing in her eyes. "So it looks like it's my turn." She sat down by Sam. "Don't worry, we'll find an explanation for all of this, okay?" Sam nodded at her words, but Jazz could tell that she didn't really believe it.

"Right," Sam sighed. It was the first thing she'd said in over an hour, and Jazz was afraid it would be the last thing she'd say for a long time to come.


	19. Alesha's Lair

Halfa Wannabe: That is sooo sweet of you to say! Thank you. I would LOVE that:D sigh

Thanx for all the reviews peeps! On with the story!

_STORY:_

"Through here," Alesha said, opening a vine-covered door to a ghost's lair. Danny peered warily into the darkness after her. "Come on," Alesha's voice cut through the black. "I don't bite, and nothing in here does either." Biting his lip, Danny nodded, wether she could see him or not, and slowly glided into the blackness, waiting for his eyes to adjust for the second time in the last hour.

He hadn't gone far when the door behind him slammed shut. He whirled around immediately, his hands glowing with ectoplasmic energy. Alesha's laugh resounded around him.

"My, halfa, you are jumpy, aren't you?" He was about to respond when a glow behind him caught his attention. Then another, and another. For as far as they eye could see, little lights began to grow, and Danny felt his jaw go slack in awe. The room seemed to stretch on forever, and it looked more like a valley that had been converted into an underground cave. The floor, ceiling and the uneven walls he could see looked like rolling hills that had been covered with a sea-green, glass like substance. Scattered all over the place, were statues that looked like they had just grown from the floor, and been molded. Many were flowing and abstract, while others had an almost human feel to them. Every one of them had at least one little glowing ball of light over them, illuminating them in an amazing array of light that seemed to dance over the almost reflective surfaces.

"You like them, I see," Danny jumped at Alesha's voice.

"Wow," was all he could say. "This can't be natural..."

"It's not," Alesha glided in front of him, looking at the different works. "My brother was a scientist, and he created this substance," she patted the ground, and the surface seemed to shift in reaction. "He said he wanted to merge art and science." She shook her head. "He did it for me."

"You talk about him as if he...well.." Danny scratched his head.

"Dead?" Alesha turned to him. "But that doesn't quite work does it." She said it as more of a statement than anything. Danny blushed in embarrassment and nodded. "Ghosts can die, Danny," she stood, pushed off from the ground, and began floating back towards him. "This isn't the end." She shrugged. "Wether you believe in a 'Heaven' or not, the 'life cycle' doesn't end here." She ended not a few feet away from, staring at him hard. He gulped and looked away.

"I'm sorry," he couldn't bring himself to look back at her. "How did he die?" When no response came, he looked up to see that she hadn't moved.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she said. "He's as good as dead, and that's all I can bring myself to say." She shook her head and looked away for the first time.

"So, you made these?" Danny asked, changing the subject. She nodded. "How?" Again she answered with silence, but looked up at him, as if seeing him in a new light.

"You truly are different..." she muttered.

"Huh?" Danny asked. She just shook her head and gestured him over. "Here," she pointed to the ground, "put your hand here." Danny did as he was told, landing on the surprisingly warm, smooth surface. "Bring your powers to hand," she said, laying her hand on top of his, her hand already glowing. "Now, instead of using it to destroy, use it to move...will the material to follow your hand." Danny nodded, and brought his hand towards his face. To his surprise, the substance followed. Surprised, he jumped, and lost contact with the material.

"Actually," Alesha said, noticing his look, "that's really good for your first try." He looked at her, surprised. "Let's finish this before we go back," she grinned. He nodded and put his hand back on the structure. She did the same, putting her hands on top of his. He didn't notice her blush.


	20. Trust?

I'm SOOO sorry guys! I didn't mean to mix my chapters around! Therefore, if the following looks familiar, go back and read the one below this. Please forgive me!

I'm warning you now, do not judge the characters this early...I promise you'll regret it.

8 8 8 8 8

When they both finally felt like they'd finished the sculpture, they stood back and overlooked their work. Many sharp edges now loomed over him, in a strangely threatening and yet graceful gesture. He could only gape at it.

"Wow," he said.

"Yeah," Alesha came up beside him. "It's a lot darker than I normally go," she glanced at him. "You have a lot of pain to release." Danny snorted.

"I wonder why?" He realized how harsh that sounded and shook his head. "Sorry." She shrugged.

"You've been through a lot, and humans like change even less than ghosts," she turned towards the door. "It's getting late, we'd better get back, or Master Plasmius might come looking for us..." she let the possible threat hang in the air. Danny took the hint and quickly followed her out of the room. As they left, the lights slowly died down slowly, once again leaving the room in total darkness.

8 8 8 8 8

Jazz sat, looking at the mansion on the walkways, unable to bring herself to ring the com at the gate. The darkness of the night seemed to close in around her, and she realized how stupid it was for a 17-year-old girl to be walking around unfamiliar territory at night alone. Still, she had to do this, but what if Danny was as angry at her as he was at Sam, or Tucker?

"Come on, Jazz," she said, shaking her head, "Nothing's going to get done standing here." She almost laughed at herself. She'd been standing there for over half-an-hour. Shaking, she walked the few paces to the gate, and raised a shaking finger towards the intercom.

"Jazz?" She spun around at her name, recognizing the voice.

"Danny," shebreathed.Her little brother stood there, in normal form, staring at her as if she weren't real. "Oh Danny," she rushed forward before he could say anything, and wrapped the 15-year-old in a hug. To her surprise and relief, he returned it.

8 8 8 8 8

Danny and Alesha had returned to see a girl that Danny obviously recognized walking towards the front gate.

"Jazz," he'd whispered.

"Who?" Alesha asked, eying the girl warily.

"My sister," he said. "Look, I'll be right in, I promise, but I have to talk to her."

"But–" Alesha started.

"Go, please," Danny pleaded, the rings already forming around his abdomen. She shook her head, but realized that this would be an excellent time...

"Fine," she said, "but hurry." She watched him land and walk up behind the red-haired teen before flyingtowards the mansion.

Phasing through the wall, she quickly navigated the now familiar hallways and found the room she was working for. She waited, not even knocking, knowing that he would know she was there.

"Come in," the voice said to her. She phased through the door, and floated in the middle of the room.

"Ah, Alesha," Vlad Masters sat back in his office chair. "And what news do you have for me?"

"I have succeeded to gain his trust," she said softly.

"Excellent," Vlad smiled. "Continue to keep me informed." Alesha nodded and left, quickly.


	21. Brother and Sister

I'm really glad you guys think I'm staying in character with Vlad. Thanx.

_STORY:_

"Danny what are you doing here?" Jazz asked, stepping back and putting her hands on his shoulder.

"After Sam...I just...couldn't face it," he looked down. "You probably don't know but–"

"I know," Jazz interrupted softly.

"You're here with Sam and Tucker, aren't you," Danny said through a face that could have been carved from stone. Jazz nodded.

"Yes, but I came here alone," she leaned forward a little. "I had to see if you were alright."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you," he said. "But...I just wanted to leave all my memories behind." He shrugged.

"They hurt too much," Jazz nodded, finishing his thought. Danny smiled at her.

"Always the shrink." Jazzjoined her brother insmiling at the comment.

"So, why did you come here?" She asked. Danny sighed.

"At the bus station, I met Vlad Pl–er...Masters," he shrugged again. "He offered a place to go if I needed it, and gave me a card. I...er...wanted to see if I could make it on my own first," he shook his head, not knowing why he was keeping Plasmius' secret.

"Sam and Tucker told me that you told them that he's the only other half-ghost in the world," he looked up, not used to her talking to him about ghosts. Looking down, he nodded. "What was he doing at the station?"

"He said he'd been keeping an eye on our house, and when he heard what happened, he came immediately." Jazz looked at him for a moment, as if something didn't quite match up.

"Why haven't you come here before?" Danny glanced harshly at the mansion lit up several thousand yards inside the gate.

"He's evil, Jazz," Danny turned way from her, and leaned on the gate, still glaring at the mansion. "I only came here because I didn't have a choice. It was either here, or starve."

"You couldn't find a job in New York?" Danny shook his head.

"I must have the worst luck in the world," he chuckled grimly.

"Why does he want you here if he's so evil?" Jazz joined him at the gate.

"I don't know anymore," Danny shrugged and turned, leaning his back against the gate. "At first I thought it was to get mom. Then I thought it was because he wanted to rule the world. Now..." he glanced at her. "I just don't know." Jazz looked at him, her face suddenly worried.

"Danny, why don't you come home?" She asked softly. Danny snorted and began to pace.

"Go back to a place where I have to keep secrets, and where even my friends and family think I'm a freak? Mom and Dad KICKED me out, Jazz," He stuck his thumb at his chest. "No one wanted me, and no one cared except for you." He stopped pacing and looked at her. "I can't go back Jazz," he walked to the gate again, and phased through it. "I know you can, and I want you to. Just don't tell mom and dad I'm here." She watched him walk away, feeling like he was slipping away from her again. After several steps, he turned around and looked at her.

"Visit me whenever you want to," he smiled. "You're my sister, and the only one I can really trust."

"I will Danny," she said. "I promise."


	22. connections and plans

"So, Daniel," Vlad was waiting in the hall when Danny phased through the wall, "Where have you been?"

"Er...out with Alesha," he shrugged. Vlad raised an eyebrow.

"What you do on your free time, and who you spend it with is your own business, but I saw your sister out there, and Alesha was no where in sight."

"I told her to go in, and then went to talk to Jazz," Danny said as he stomped past the white-haired man.

"I also thought that you had decided to leave your past life behind." Danny turned on the stairs and glared at him.

"What was that about my time, my business?" Vlad shrugged at his answer and walked away.

"By the way," the older man called over his shoulder. "I have some pressing business to attend to tomorrow, so no training session."

Danny stared after him for a few seconds, his eyes burning with contempt, but he shrugged it off and continued to his room.

8 8 8 8 8

Vlad stopped before he turned into his study, and watched the boy trudge up the stairs. He was progressing too quickly, far more quickly than Vlad himself had ever done. Danny had powers that he hadn't gotten until the end of his second year as a half-breed, and he seemed to be learning at an accelerated rate. At this pace, the boy could overpower him in only a few short years. The thing was, Vlad couldn't decide if it was due to his tutoring, or due to the fact that the porthole Danny had been hit by was actually correctly set up.

Now Vlad was finding himself regretting taking the other half-breed on. The boy still hated him, that much was sure, but he was here by choice. That's what the billionaire had wanted, and he was convinced it was the right move, no matter what happened. If he hadn't brought the boy here, Danny Phantom would continue to be a threat that stood between him and his prize. At the very least, he would need the boy here if he wanted to continue his pursuit. Shutting his door, he snapped his fingers, and the old butler ghost appeared at his side immediately.

"I need a new errand runner, seeing as both of our old ones are...preoccupied," he turned to the white-haired ghost. "Who would you suggest?"

"Miller would be an excellent runner," the ghost answered immediately. Vlad always found himself impressed with his servant's loyalty and excellent work. "Very well," Vlad nodded and sat at in his chair, facing the door. "Send him in, and tell Alesha that some work will be added to her schedule as well. I need to see both of them immediately, and send for my vultures." He glanced up as the butler's form disappeared through the wall. "Tonight, we begin phase two."

_Amnity Park_

"Jack, there are ghosts are everywhere!" Maddie said from one corner of the block she and her husband were scouting. It seemed to get their minds off of their missing son, and while she didn't think it was healthy, she didn't know how else to cope. When Danny disappeared, he'd taken most of her heart with him, or that's what it felt like. Worry for Jazz laced every feeling of loss for her son as well. She hadn't called that day, and Maddie couldn't help but worry. What if Jazz suddenly disappeared and they couldn't remember that either?

Shoving those thoughts aside, she glanced away from the meter she was holding, and looked at her husband. "There hasn't been this kind of a concentration since Inviso-Bill showed up!"

"Then we'll just need to work harder," Jack grinned at her. "Our new Fenton ghost cages should be full tonight!" Despite herself, she could see the pain that the large smile masked. Maddie couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow at their situation. They had used to be so carefree...and now they couldn't even remember the event that had torn their family apart. She knew her husband was putting on his old face for her sake, and she loved him more than ever for it.

"I'd trade them for Danny," she whispered.

"What?" Jack turned to her. She was glad she had her goggles on, so he couldn't see the tears.

"Danny vanishes, and ghosts materialize," something suddenly seemed to click in her mind, but she couldn't grasp it...like she was trying to hold onto mist. Shaking the thought away, she continued. "I've always wanted to study spirits of this world, but I'd trade them in in a heartbeat if it would get Danny back." Jack looked down, and put a hand around her shoulder.

She was about to cave in and embrace her husband when her cell phone rang. She looked up at Jack and shrugged. He nodded and turned down the street towards the first set of ghost traps.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom," Jazz said softly. Maddie knew immediately something had happened.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jazz said, "I'm just checking in, letting you know I'm okay." She was hiding something, Maddie knew...just like Danny had been hiding something from them, and she'd been to obsessed to see it.

"Right," Maddie nodded. "Thanks honey. Is there anything you need?"

"No. Thanks Mom. Bye," Jazz replied, and hung up. Maddie jogged and caught up with her husband.

"That was Jazz," she said, "But she seemed to be hiding something."

"What do you think it was?" The way he phrased the question brought reality pounding back down on her. Before, he would have brushed it off, or pretended to care. Well, at least they were more aware of each other now.

"I don't know...but..." She looked up as realization came to her. "Great Lakes...Wisconsin...she went to search for Danny!" She hit her head. Why hadn't she seen it before. Jazz had either found out something about him, or found him... Maddie didn't dare hope, but expressed her thoughts to her husband.

"Then what are we waiting around here for?" Jack asked, turning back towards their dwelling.

"What about the ghosts?" Maddie paused.

"We'll let the traps take care of it," Jack said, "and hope that will be enough until we get back." He turned and smiled at her. "Do you want to go for the Ghosts or Danny?" The hope in his smile caught onto her, and she grinned at him as they ran down the street.


	23. Unexpected surprise

More reviews! Thanks guys! Remember, criticizm is welcome (as long as it's founded), and actually welcomed.

_STORY:_

"I'm going into town," Danny said to Alesha as he put his toothbrush away before turning to smile at her. "Human town, not some town in the Ghost Zone." She raised her eyebrow at him from her position on the canape, looking down at him as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"Are you talking about that little cluster of ghost lairs we had to go through to get to my place?"

"Well, I do have to admit, that that place was a little strange." Alesha laughed.

"Actually, I agree with you."

"Would you like to come?" he asked suddenly. She bit her lip.

"Well...I am done with my chores..."

"Good, it's settled," Danny stretched and the two familiar rings appeared around his waste.

"You're going as a ghost?" she asked.

"Yeah," he grinned at her. "That way people won't know who I am and everything."

"Won't you be a little obvious?" she asked.

"Not if I wear a different clothes," Danny reached through the closet door, and pulled out a hoodie and some jeans. Then, he grabbed some sunglasses and shoved them over his eyes. Then he struck a pose that had Alesha stifeling a laugh.

"How do I look?" he asked. "I mean, even if they see my hair, they'll just think I'm really blond, right?" She nodded, impressed.

"You look human...although you still glow a little."

"Most people don't notice," Danny grinned. "Ember was a super-star, and she only had her ghost form. No disguise." He shrugged. She nodded again.

"I see you've got this all planned out," she jumped off the material roof of his bed and landed noiselessly beside him.

"So, what do you want to do in town anyway?" she asked. "Do you have any money?"

"Uh...I asked Vlad for some this morning. He gave me this," Danny pulled a large roll of money out of the drawer on his night stand.

"And that's a lot?" Alesha asked. Danny grinned and shoved it into his pocket.

"It's enough to have some fun," he grinned. "And if we have to, we can fly to the next city and have some fun there..." he tapped his lip, a contemplative habit he'd picked up from Jazz.

"Where would the nearest real city be?" He asked. Alesha shrugged.

"I don't get out much," she said. "Maybe we can find a map or something."

"Great," Danny grinned. "Let's go."

8 8 8 8 8

"I'm going to go back and talk to him tonight," Jazz was telling Sam and Tucker as they stepped off the elevator. "I'lltell him what you, Mom and Dad said...about not remembering."

"Why didn't you last night?" Tucker asked. Sam nodded in agreement. She looked a lot better this morning then she had the previous night, but she still hadn't spoken since her few words in their conversation after Jazz had returned.

"I wanted to bring it up casually," Jazz said. "If I come right out and challenge his memory, no matter how wrong it is, he won't be receptive to me any more." She looked back at them, "and I'm his last chance."

"That can't be good," Tucker said suddenly.His eyes opened in surprise and he pointed behind her. She turned to see the last thing on earth she expected and needed. Her parents had justwalked through the door.

8 8 8 8 8

"So where do we go?" Danny asked as he walked into town. They'd landed a little way out of town, and walked down the sidewalks of the small city. "What do people do around here for fun?" Alesha shrugged, nervous. Danny smiled. He'd insisted that they go together, as friends. She had agreed, if hesitantly, and he could tell it was all she could do to not flinch whenever they walked by someone. She glowed like he did, but with the sun-glasses he'd given her, that was the only thing that set her aside from the town population, who didn't even glance their way. In the bright sunlight, they could easily be taken for any normal human, with bright green eyes, so she was also sporting a pair of sunglasses. Danny thought they looked more than adequately human, and they'd taken off towards the cluster of houses that barely passed for a town.

"There's a movie theater," she said. "I passed through there once...I don't remember them from my life before."

"Do you remember anything?" Danny asked. She shrugged.

"Mostly faces. Different expressions of different people. I don't even remember names...except for my mother." She smiled sadly. "She looked like me, except she had dark brown eyes, that looked strait through you."

"What about your brother?"

"Brianand Ithink we died together, so he's always been there. I always knew his name, but I don't know if I acually remembered it."

"Oh," Danny glanced at her, "Do you know where you lived?" She bit her lip.

"By a lighthouse," she said. "And we had just moved there, and we were moving fast, at night. There was a bright light...and then nothing." She glanced over at him. "We cameto the conclusion that we died in a car crash. He had similar memories..."

"What happened to him?" Danny asked cautiously. She shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about it," she looked down. Danny took the hint, and let the matter drop.

"So where's the movie theater?"

"About three blocks past the hotel," she said. "The really big, ritzy one, I mean."

"There's a ritzy hotel in this little town?" Danny asked, skeptically.

"When there are business conferences with the Millionaires around here, and trust me,Master Plasmiusisn't the only one, people like having a nice place to stay."

"Okay," Danny grinned. "Which way is that?"

"There it is," she pointed to a large building only a few blocks away.

"Okay," Danny grinned at her. It felt good to have a friend again.

8 8 8 8 8

"Jazz," Maddie walked up to her daughter, embracing the shocked, red-haired girl.

"Mom...what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I just got to worried," Maddie said slowly, "I didn't want to loose you like we lost Danny." An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as they waited for Jack to join them. Several minutes later,her fatherwalked over to them with bags in hand.

"I've checked us into a room just down the hall from you," he said. "If you need us we'll be there," he handed an electronic key to Maddie.

"Room 106," she looked up and smiled at him. "Oh, Jack, you remembered." He grinned.

"The room we had in the hotel on our Honeymoon? How could I forget?" She giggled and bent down to pick up a bag when Jazz gasped.

8 8 8 8 8

"So this is the hotel?" Danny looked up at the large building as they approached it. "No where near as big as the ones in Amnity Park," He scoffed.

"This town isn't anywhere near as big," Alesha pointed out. Danny shrugged and nodded as they wound through the progressively thicker crowd towards the movie theater. So far no one had noticed anything different about them, and he felt rather pleased with himself. That's when he glanced into the hotel and stopped. Alesha, realizing she was walking alone, turned quickly.

"Danny?" she said quickly, trying to keep calm. Here she was, surrounded by humans, and very suddenly alone. She saw where he'd stopped, and walked up to him. "What's wrong." He didn't answer, but held up his finger, asking her to wait for a moment, and walked up the steps to the hotel.

"She told them..." he said. "I can't believe she told them."


	24. Withered hope

Here's an illustration to this chappie. :D www .deviantart .com /deviation /14196967 / (without the spaces)

_STORY:_

Danny was waiting for Jazz just outside of town when she walked towards the bus stop later that day. He'd sent Alesha home, and now sat on a bench, still in ghost form. He watched silently as she saw him and approached.

"Danny," she said nerveously, "I thought I saw you in town today–"

"You did," he said curtly. She looked around nerveously.

"Look, I didn't want mom and dad to come–"

"Nice try," he said. "Look, Vlad's been saying that I need to cut myself off from my past, and for the first time and probably the last time ever, I agree." Jazz stared at him in shock. "It doesn't look like I can trust anyone after all." He set his jaw and turned away from her.

"Wait!" she called out to him, "Danny they don't remember!" He turned back, his hands in the pockets of the jeans he still wore.

"What?"

"Sam, and mom and dad," she said, "They don't remember anything!" Danny stared at her as the implications hit him. Not really knowing what to say, he shook his head and started to walk away again.

"I can't figure out why you'd want a freak like me to come back anyway," he said softly. "I guess Mom and Dad might want to try some experiments on the ghost boy, and I think I have Sam and Tucker figured out too.But you," he shook his head as he looked at her. "You were the last thing that connected me to who I used to be." He turned away. "He doesn't exist now, so there's no need for you to come and visit."

"Jazz!" both teens jumped and turned to look attheir parents as they came crashing through the bushes. "Get away from him! He's a ghost!" Maddie and Jack yelled coming up behind her. Jazz groaned inside. Her parents had followed her, and popped out at precisely the wrong moment, confirming (in his mind) everything Danny had just said. Jazz felt any glimmer of hope at getting him back wither the moment he saw them.

Danny watched them as they came up behind their daughter defensively.He stood there fora few moments beforetaking off his sunglasses.The teenager glared at them with neon-green eyes before he sank into the ground.

"No," Jazz breathed.

"What did he do with Danny?" Jack asked Jazz. She, however, couldn't find the words to answer. The moment she opened her mouth, a sob broke through, and her legs gave out on her. She sank to the ground, having truly lost her only sibling.

8 8 8 8 8

Alesha watched the scene unfold from a distance, barely beyond Danny's ghost sense's reach. Well, Plasmius's wishes had indeed been carried out. It seemed that the family was falling apart, which was part of phase two anyway. Still, she knew exactly how they felt. Thoughts of the brother she had died with, and stuck with even after death, came unbidden to her mind. She forced them away before the pain could come again.

She noticed the vultures assigned to watch the rest of the Fentons hovering over them after Danny vanished, and decided it might be a good idea to get back to the mansion beforethe halfagot there.

"Oh Danny," she said, taking one last look at the two parents hovering over their fallen daughter, "Please forgive me."


	25. Decision

Danny hardly left his room for almost a week after that. Vlad kept putting off practices and training, and Danny found himself getting more and more depressed, and more and more reclusive. "Why me?" He asked himself. "Why did I have to get this curse?" It was the ghost powers, he concluded. That was the reason his life sucked...wasn't it? He felt like a cloth had been wrapped around his mind, and he was having trouble focusing on anything but his current situation, and immediate future. He felt like he didn't know anything anymore.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts, that didn't notice as his ghost sense went off, like it did so often lately. Alesha peeked through the door, and cleared her throat.

"Um, Danny?" She ventured. He nodded to say he'd heard her and she floated over to him, landing on the bed next to where he was sitting, staring out the window. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. Even ghosts can starve emotionally. Actually, that's the easiest way for us to starve. If you keep this up..." she faded off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"I know," he said. "And I don't care." Alesha looked away, biting her lip unaware that her fists clenched the bed cover under her hands more tightly. "No one wants me," he continued. "I thought at least Vlad wanted something WITH me, but he doesn't. I can't figure it out...and my parents." He shook his head. "This is too confusing," he groaned. "And I don't really want to figure it out anymore. It hurts to much, and I don't see any point. No one cares."

"I care," Alesha said. "Since my brother..." she faded off, swallowed and continued. "Well, you're the first friend I've had in a long time." She saw him turn his head to slowly look at her out of the corner of his eye. "It really means a lot to me." A slight smile, barely noticeable, but there none the less, touched his lips.

"Thanks," he said, standing up slowly. "Well," he sighed, "I think I'll keep training, wether Vlad wants me to or not." Alesha stepped away as the rings appeared around his waist and his ghost form replaced his human body.

"Why wouldn't he want you to?" She asked. Danny shrugged.

"Don't know, but he's been putting it off, and telling me to take a bunch of breaks lately," he shrugged. "Frankly, I really have no clue why, but I feel like working out, a little." He looked up, his eyes showing the struggle with the pain he kept fighting. He shrugged again and waved before he disappeared through the wall. She let out a small breath, although she really didn't need to breathe, and sat back on the bed. That had been close. If he became any more depressed, he'd get suicidal...that thought alone tied her stomach into knots. She'd been having trouble with a decision in the last few days, and it looked like she had just been given her answer

Sighing, she jumped into the air, and through the wall, knowing exactly where her destination lay. She didn't notice the figure following her as she approached the now familiar room, and entered. The walls reflected the creepy green color that the large tanks in the room produced. She floated past several empty tanks, and passed them, heading for those at the far end of the room. Figures floated in the gel-like ectoplasmic liquid, lifelessly suspended as she passed. Not that that was surprising, seeing as they were all ghosts, but it still sent shivers up and down her spine. The whole scene made her nervous and jumpy, but she took a deep breath, and continued.

She stopped in front of one of the most recently occupied tanks, and put her hand on the glass. A boy floated limply inside. Vlad had just put him in here a few weeks ago. He'd chosen this boy because apparently he thought Alesha was of more use to him. If he'd thought differently, Alesha would be the one floating in the eerie substance. The sudden turn of events that had put him here almost made her cry. They had just gotten raises, and had both been doing so well. They were even thinking of quitting, but apparently Plasmius had gotten wind of their plans, and then he'd come to her and told her about this room...and what he'd done.

"Oh, Brian," she said, calmly petting the glass. "What did we get ourselves into by taking this job?" she asked the floating figure. "I just don't know anymore." She reached down to the controls enfolded in an ectoplasmic shield to keep her from releasing him.

"Brian," she said to him, watching as his short black hair wave softly in the gel. "I've come to ask you a question. Is it more important for you to maintain your afterlife, or for someone else to live. We never got the chance, but does that mean we have the right to take that from someone else?" She turned and sank to the floor, with her back to the ectoplasmic glass. "I've known for a while that this whole thing was going to end up as a choice," she felt hot tears come to her eyes. It had surprised her that she could still cry as a spirit, but she'd gotten used to it by now. "A choice between you and him," she continued before pausing for several seconds. Trying to hold back the tears, she turned and looked up at her brother. They looked so much alike, they could almost be twins, but that didn't matter now, did it. "Vlad said he'd release us after my work is done..." she went on, "but I don't see how it ever will be." She turned her back to the glass once again and put her arms around her knees, feeling a lump rise in her throat. "I've made my decision...but," she couldn't stifle a sob, "I had to ask for your forgiveness." A steady stream of tears now streaked her brown cheeks. "I know that I'm bringing about your annihilation, and I'm so sorry, Brian. I do love you, and I am so sorry."

Still crying, she phased through the wall and flew to town, her tears falling onto the ground behind her. She knew the consequences of her actions, but that didn't make this any easier.


	26. Surprise

Sam and Jazz sat side-by-side on the same bed, in the same position, their backs against the wall, both staring at the bed-cover blankly. Jazz had come home in the state that Sam had been when she'd left, and Jack and Maddie were starting to get very worried. A week of all three teens sitting around, doing nothing all day when they were normally so active was starting to get to them.

"We've got to find Danny!" Maddie was saying as she paced the room for what seemed like the hundredth time. "We've got to apologize...even if we don't remember what we said." She looked over at the two girls, who didn't respond. Tucker was sitting on the edge of the other bed next to Jack, all of whom had been strangely quiet. She'd never seen Jazz this...passive before. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind and she rounded on the two girls.

"You know where he is, don't you?"

"He doesn't want us here. He never wants to come back," Sam muttered emotionlessly. She had begun talking when Jazz had come home, but when she talked, she could only babble. Maddie however grabbed the girls shoulders.

"You have to tell me!" she shrieked. The girl's eyes remained unfocused, and Maddie knew she wasn't reaching the teen. Biting her lip to try and keep back the tears and words she wanted to say, she took a deep breath and stood there until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw the massive form of her husband standing behind her..

"Sam," he said calmly, moving his wife out of the way gently. Maddie couldn't remember him talking to the girl like that before, and gave way, slightly stunned. "He's still our charge, at the very least. In the eyes of the court and the country, we have to find him. But far, far more important than that," he glanced back at his wife, "Neither of us could live with ourselves if we didn't do everything we possibly could to get him back, and make sure this never happens again." Something seemed to snap inside the Goth. girl, and she looked up, her eyes beginning to focus for the first time in hours. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but Jazz interrupted.

"I promised," she said. "I never break a promise." She met her father's gaze. "We can't tell you. We promised," she muttered the last two words under her breath, and continued to do so, shaking her head. Maddie felt her intestines start to bend and knot. They were too close to loose him now! Far to close!

"Maddie," Jack turned to his wife, "We need to calm down, and think about this reasonably." She took a closer look at him, and once again found herself surprised. He was shaking trying to control his anger and frustration. Feeling tears come to her eyes, she nodded and they walked out the door.

No sooner had the door closed, then they heard Jack yelling outside.

"At least something's normal again," she grumbled sarcastically.

"We didn't promise not to tell," Tucker spoke up. "Sam and I. We could tell your parents and maybe they could–"

"Could what?" Jazz asked. "Could go there and think that we sent them, and drive him even further away? If that's even possible."

"Woah," Sam chuckled mirthlessly. "That's even more depressing than what I was thinking."

"So you can talk," Jazz said, grasping desperately at straws of anything hopeful. Sam shook her head and didn't answer.

"We have to try again!" Tucker stood up, for once taking the role of the advocate. "We can't just leave him here...right?" His resolve was slowly slipping away, and Jazz could tell. Still, she admired his effort.

"We can't let Plasmius win," Tucker said, almost pleadingly, wanting someone else to take his side. He got the support he needed when someone said:

"An excellent reason." Tucker looked up hopefully at the voice, but the two girls were looking at him, more confused than ever. "Yet another to add to my list."

"Who said that?" Sam asked, glancing fearfully around the room. An African American girl appeared, floating in the air near Tucker. He jumped away from the girl, as she landed, without so much as a movement from her knee-length gray skirt or her hair, that still seemed to float, despite the fact that it didn't seem to blow with her movement, and the passing of air. All in all, she gave off a very eerie presence. Tucker had joined Sam and Jazz, who were stiffly backed against the wall, staring with fear. The girl sighed.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," she muttered, and walked slowly towards them.

"What do you want?" Jazz asked, realizing her desperate lack of Fenton Thermos in the near vicinity.

"I want to help you," she said, making Jazz do a double take.

"Help us...do what?" she asked cautiously. The girl tapped her lips.

"Basically, I don't want him to have to end up like me," she glanced around, and sat down on the bed opposite of them. "I want to help you get Danny back."


	27. Proof

"End up like you? Help us?" Jazz stuttered. Sam couldn't believe her ears, and Tucker gaped openly. The only thing they could really do, was stare at the bright green eyes, that contrasted so hauntingly with her dark skin.

"How can you help us get him back?" Sam asked suddenly. A ghost appears out of nowhere, and wants to help them? She'd been around spirits for far to long to suddenly trust them.

"Why should we trust you?" Tucker joined the girls, pointing at the specter, who shook her head.

"I don't deserve it, I know," She sighed. "But I've gotten to know Danny in these last few weeks, and if you don't do something...well...he's already developing serious depression problems."

"He didn't look that depressed when we saw him," Sam glared at the girl. All of a sudden, all of the frustration and failure came to the surface, ready to attack any target that got in their way. She was about to ask another question, but the ghost beat her to the punch.

"He put on a face for you," she shook her head. "Currently, his favorite past time is sitting on his bed and staring out the window. He's not eating very much, and I've never seen anyone so utterly hopeless in my life...er...afterlife." She shook her head. "The only thing that he finds even remotely constructive is the training that he's being put through, and even that is being taken away." She looked up at the still skeptical trio. "He's half ghost, right now...I don't think you want that to be full ghost." Sam's eyes widened.

"He's that bad?" she asked in hushed tones. Alesha nodded.

"It will be very soon, and I don't know how much I can do to help him, so I decided to come to help you, so that you can." She looked at Jazz. "I can prove that your parents didn't really kick him out, and that you," she looked directly at Sam, "didn't have any control over what you 'said' either." She now had their complete attention.

"How?" They asked unanimously. Alesha smiled grimly.

"He doesn't know that he can't sense the presence of a ghost when they overshadow someone near him. As long as they're in a human body, they might as well be invisible to him."

"How do you know this?" Jazz asked slowly. Alesha tried not to cringe at the question, but they deserved answers, and she wasn't going to lie to them either.

"I was hired to follow him," she looked down. "Several months ago, my brother and I started doing so. In return, we were going to get memories of our life researched. Later, it turned to ectoplasmic materials that were difficult to come by, that we could use in the Ghost Zone."

"So you just noticed this around him?" Tucker asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Um..." she swallowed, "no. I was told...by Vlad Masters. You see," she said quickly, before they could interrupt, "the main reason that I can prove it, is that I was one of the ghosts that overshadowed your parents bodies," she turned to Sam. "And I'm also responsible for his interaction with you."


	28. Cat Fight

Hey y'all. Here's the illustration to this chapter. www .deviantart .com /deviation /14790692/ (without spaces)

Sam gaped openly, speechless while the others stared in shock. Alesha looked away from them, at the floor, her brown cheeks obviously red despite her dark skin coloring. She must be really embarrassed, Sam thought to herself, but she didn't care. Anger bubbled inside her and for the first time inmore thantwo days, she was completely aware of her surroundings. She moved slowly, and purposefully off of the bed, stepping firmly onto the ground.

"You did this?" she asked through gritted teeth. "How...dare...you..."

"It was my job, okay?" Alesha looked up, obviously trying to hold back tears.

"That doesn't mean you ruin peoples lives! You practically tore down his very existence!" Sam yelled, barely aware of Jazz and Tucker trying to calm her down.

"I didn't know this would happen!" Alesha said back, her own voice rising. "How could I?"

"You rip a family apart and don't expect these kind or repercussions!" Alesha and Sam stood there glaring at each other for several minutes with Jazz and Tucker wondering wether the Fentons had heard anything.

"Look," Alesha folded her arms, her eyes still narrowed at Sam. "I made a mistake, okay? I'm here to try and fix it...do you want my help or not?"

"Why would we want your help?" Sam hissed. Alesha's eyes narrowed dangerously and she stepped closer to Sam, lifting herself into the air and towering over her menacingly.

"Because," she said, her voice dangerously quiet, "I am the only person who can prove any of what you say is true,besides Vlad and my Brother."

"What about your brother?" Tucker asked suddenly and randomly, afraid of where the conversation was currently heading. The way that the ghost and Sam were acting towards each other, this could end up in a down right fight. Alesha glared daggers at him, causing him to shrink back. "He's incapacitated." She turned her eyes back to the Goth girl. "So, do you want him back or not?"

8xoxoxoxoxo8

"You're sure she did this?" Vlad asked the figure in front of him.

"Yes sir," a fairly deep voice answered. "I saw it for myself."

"That is unfortunate," he sighed. "Bring her brother to my office. This may still work out to the best, but if it doesn't..." He faded of as two bright rings appeared around his waist and Vlad Plasmius now stood in the place of the billionaire human. "Bring him and the entire machine. I may have to break her. When do you think they'll arrive?"

"I left them almost as soon as she started talking. I would think they'll arrive in anywhere from five toten minutes. Maybe less depending on how quickly she could persuade them."

"It is extremely unfortunate that this took so long to relay," Vlad turned to him. "You're dismissed, and you shall receive a raise in pay as well, Miller."

"Thank you sir," his newest errand runner bowed and left quickly. Vlad lost no time in phasing through the walls and ceiling, heading towards Danny's room, although he wasn't sure he still wanted to keep the boy on. No matter what happened now, he was sure he could get his way. Still, there wasn't any point in taking chances.

"Daniel?" He phased through the floor of the room, only to find it empty. They couldn't have gotten here this soon, could they? Leaving the room, he headed towards the training room, and anywhere else he could think of to look for his prodigy.

REPLY!


	29. Halfa's Thoughts

Vlad searched his extensive mansion for the other half-breed in vain, for Danny sat on top of the outer wall that enclosed the extensive property, wondering where his future was headed. Vlad had said they would try to help the Ghost zone, but he seriously doubted that would ever happen. If anything like that did come to pass, Vlad would probably want his help in taking over. What kind of a future was that? Frankly, he was beginning to wonder if he had any sort of future at all. In fact, what did he have to live for? Anything that had defined who he was had vanished, and it all began when he'd stepped into that stupid portal. His whole world had completely disintegrated from beneath him, like a sand castle near the ocean with the tide coming in. He could almost feel the last few grains of his old life slipping through his fingers as he desperately clutched for them, but to no avail. He'd reached that conclusion earlier that night. His familyhad gone taking his friends along with them, leaving nothing but the ruined tatters of the life he'd known in their wake. Now, the only person who could even tolerate him was an evil nemesis who only wanted power. The only being he could count as a friend was a ghost. Not that he minded, but still, it said something for his new life. He almost felt like a child with an invisible friend being the onlyperson who seemed to care.

Sighing, Danny realized that he had suddenly found himself questioning all his morals and beliefs. Nothing seemed right anymore, no matter how he looked at it, but did that mean that all of his options were wrong? But that couldn't be right either...could it? No, he told himself. There had to be another way? There was something he was missing, some hope he had overlooked, or taken for granted. There had to be...right? He found himself becoming more and more unsure.He hated the feeling of his life, both future and past, slipping away from him, no matter how hard he clung to it.

Great, he growled to himself, here he was full circle, right back to the thought he had started on, and nothing solved in the slightest. The thought nearly made him scream in frustration and confusion.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed his ghost sense going off and immediately jumped up, welcoming the change of thought.

"Who's there?" he asked, painfully aware that his now deepening voice tended to crack at the worst moments, causing him to lose any threatening edge.

"It's me, Danny," a soft voice soothed his nerves, and relaxed.

"Alesha," he grinned and sat down again. "What's up?"

"Well, "I was lucky I spotted you here," she seemed to look anywhere but at him, acting nervous, or scared.

"What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly concerned for his friend.

"Well," she sighed and looked at him. "You have visitors." He stared at her in silence before glaring towards the barely visible gate in the distance.

"They came back?" he glanced over at Alesha and sighed. "Well, that's a problem I'll have to deal with." He sighed again, although he actually feltgrateful for this second distraction. Taking a deep breath, he stood on the hall, and launched himself into empty space. Looking back for only a second, he gestured towards the gate, and began to fly in that direction. Alesha gulped, looked around, crossed her fingers and followed.

* * *

To tell the truth, I got such great reviews, that I wanted to answer asap, so that's why you guys got an extra chappie tonight. Feel loved. ;)

**I want all of you guys to know**, that this is the first part of a trillogy. Now, true to "Trillogy" form, the first one is actually fairly nice...has a decent ending, but leaves you open for more. The second one, however, is not going to end so happily, and either in the second or third one we'll have Danny reveal his powers, at least to his parents. The third one...well, I'm not sure how that one is going to end. I haven't even decided wether it's going to be happy or sad, or angst, or simply resloved, so yeah. However it turns out I guess. Hope that gives you some idea writerchic16. :D I appreciate your feedback. Thank you for the compliments too.

So Celestial: My friend calls me comma happy. ; For some strange reason, I love commas, and I use them all over the place. I'll see if I can check that one out, but I'm usualy pretty good with it anymore, so I appreciate it. Now, if you like Angst, have you read Danni-2005's stories? Honey, she makes mine look like a walk in the clouds, and they're so beautifully written. I LOVE her stuff. I'd suggest you check it out. Her series starts out with "Hello", and then "Imaginary", "Taking Over Me", "My Immortal" etc... If you can't tell, she's basing it off of Evanescence's CD "Fallen". It's a beautiful series, but very, very angst. Also, on the pic, I HATE short skirts with a passion! I like Sam, so whenever I draw her, her skirt is longer. ; What can I say?

Cakreut: Well, I'm glad you like my pics. I appreciate that you would remember it to connect at all. :hug: Thank you!

I'm sorry about the slurred words. I still think it's a glitch or incompatibility problem with my computer and Totaly my luck. ;)


	30. Second time Visitors

If you guys haven't checked out any of my other pictures, please check out this one. If you have, you know what to do, but this illustration has to be one of my absolute favorites.www .deviantart .com /deviation /14639821/ (without spaces of course) Thanx guys.

xoxoxoxox

"I hope this works," Jazz said nervously. "I don't like it here." She shivered and rubbed her arms. "This place gives me the creeps...it didn't before." She glanced around, "something's different."

"Yeah," Sam grumbled, "We know now that ghosts jerks live here. Selfish spoiled brats who will do whatever they can to get whatever they want." Jazz and Tucker exchanged glances, not pointing out the fact that Sam herself sometimes tended to act a bit spoiled.

"Let's just hope we got away before your parents saw us," Tucker commented. "We really don't want them popping up again like they did on you earlier." Sam and Jazz nodded silently in agreement, and they stood for several more minutes in silence.

Finally a sharp voice cut through the air around them.

"I thought I told you not to come back," Danny appeared before them, leaning against the gates and glaring at them. "I don't need my back-stabbing friends to come around again." Sam visibly tensed at his words, and was about to open her mouth in protest when Alesha appeared between them.

"They came, Danny," she said before Sam could voice her own thoughts, "because I brought them." Danny's cold look softened slightly, and he blinked in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because she-" Sam started, but Alesha turned and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Let me tell him, in my own way, or you'll never get him back," she hissed and turned back to see an even more confused look on the half-ghost's face.

"What's going on?" He looked at the four facing him suspiciously, and not kindly.

"Let me ask you," Alesha gestured for the three others to come closer. "Can you sense me now?"

"Yeah," Danny sighed, "What's this all about?"

"I'll show you," Alesha looked around, and saw Jazz take a step up closer to her. Sighing, she went intangible, and jumped back into the 17-year-old. Jazz's warm blue eyes suddenly started to glow bright green and she turned to Danny, speaking in Alesha's voice. "Can you sense me now?" She felt like a silly phone commercial, but how else was she supposed to word something like this?

"Well ye-" Danny stopped mid-phrase and looked down at his mouth. None of the tale-tell blue mist came out of it. As far as he could tell, there were only the four of them standing there. "No...I can't..." He slowly looked into his sister's eyes.

"But then..." he started. Alesha, still inside Jazz, nodded solemnly.

"Vlad hired my brother and me to track you at a distance, get you away from your family and friends, and then basically drive you here." She looked down, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I know you probably hate me now, for putting you through what I did. But it was worth telling you. I couldn't stand to see you slowly killing yourself like you were." Danny listened to her, feelings raging a war that threatened to rip him apart.

"You mean...in New York..." Aleshanod wasbarely perceptible. "And my parents..." Again she nodded, "And Sam..." Danny turned to look at his best friend, to see her looking down.

"I would never say that to you Danny," she whispered.

"And I'm sorry too, man," Tucker piped up. Danny just stared at them, not sure what to say.

"Danny," Alesha stepped forward and out of Jazz, "these are your friends and family. They love you, and you deserve better than this place," she gestured towards the mansion. Jazz shook off a little dizziness, recovering from the overshadowing, but said nothing.

"I don't know what to say..." Danny said finally. "This is a really big chunk to swallow...I..." He broke off shaking his head. "I don't know. Part of me wants to forget everything and go back...but part of me just doesn't want to believe you." He glanced up at them. "How do I know you didn't bribe her or something."

"Okay," Jazz stepped forward at his words. "Let's say you decided we're all lying to you, despite the fact that we really don't have a reason to keep coming back if that's the case...but let's just suppose. So, you tell us we're lying, and we go home, promising never to come back. Where will that leave you? Trusting a man you know cannot be trusted over the friends and family you've known and trusted for years." She sighed and looked up, "except for these last few months, have you ever truly not trusted me? Sam or Tucker? Even Mom and Dad?" Danny looked down, biting his lip.

"No," he said softly. "I never really told them about me being ghost, because...well, guess I just..."

"You were ashamed that you were messing around with the porthole when they told you not to, and while they knew something happened, they never knew exactly what." Jazz supplied. Danny looked up and nodded.

"Yeah."

"Danny," Sam spoke up, "I'm your best friend, and I'm sorry for anything I said. I didn't mean it." She looked down, "I didn't know why you hadn't come over. I couldn't remember anything. I still can't. But I've gotten used to your ghost hunting, and your secret and...please come back. I could handle losing a friend to them moving or something like that, but to know that I was the one that drove you away...even if it wasn't really my fault," she shot a quick glance at Alesha, "It was killing me. To know that I caused you this pain..." She faded off and looked back at her feet, "I'm just so sorry."

"What she's trying to say," Tucker said, "is we want you back. I can't claim ignorance. No one was taking over my body when I didn't tell the whole story, but," he gulped, obviously treading on new ground. "Well, I'm sorry too."

"And I didn't tell mom and dad you were here," Jazz concluded. "They still don't know...and I won't tell them if you don't want me to. They kind of figured out on their own and showed up here when we weren't expecting them." She took a step closer. "Please believe us, Danny. Please come back." Danny looked into their pleading faces, and for the first time in months, the entire scene he had replayed in his mind evaporated, leaving nothing but mist. His mind felt light, like a thousand pound weight that had been dragging him down had suddenly vanished. He felt the slightest touch of a smile brush his lips. It would take him a while to get back into the swing of things, and undoubtedly, these last few months would affect the rest of his life. Things wouldn't be the way they used to be, but then again, they didn't have to be. To have a home, a place where he wasn't just wanted, but loved...his heart suddenly longed and ached for it.

He hadn't realized he'd tried to block the pain he'd had the last few months with an uncaring, numb void that he could already feel vanishing. He wanted to go home...truly home.

Biting his lip, he stepped forward, barely registering how silly he looked. Green eyes lifted and looked to the girl with a mass of red hair cascading down her back. As he stepped forward, Jazz continued to hold her hand out to him. He ignored it completely, and walked forward, wrapping his arms around her waist. He felt like a lost two-year old, but he didn't care. Jazz's eyes went wide when she realized he now embraced her, but the look was quickly replaced by tears and a smile of gratitude and thanks as she looked down at his white hair, now a stark contrast to her black shirt.

"I wanna go home," he whispered.

"How sweet," a deep voice sneered. Danny's eyes popped open...he knew that voice. Everyone turned to look at Tucker, who now regarded them with a look of disgust. This time, though, Danny looked hard, and he saw what he had missed all those months before, the one sign he had needed...for his best friend's eyes now glowed bright red.

* * *

Well, I've had a few poeple comment on my horrible spelling. sigh I know, it's really bad if I can still get errors in here after running it through editors and a word program. sigh But hey.

Celestial: I hope you like those stories. Thank you for at least considering my advice. I appreciate that more than you know.

Thanx again for the reviews guys.


	31. Loosing a friend?

Ah, a picture of Tucker overshadowed, bwahahahaha!www .deviantart .com /deviation /14621319/ (again, no spaces)

"Tucker!" Danny released his sister and stepped towards the African-American. "Plasmius! Get out of him!"

"Now, Daniel," Vlad shook his head. "Why would I want to do something like that?"

"You lied to me...you set me up! All of it...it was you!"

"Ah, you're angry with me, Daniel," Vlad waved Tucker's hand through the air. "The whole evil hate thing really doesn't suit you."

"You tore my life apart...for no reason!" Danny felt his fists ball, and he glared at his overshadowed friend.

"Oh Daniel," Vlad grinned, the smile that came across Tucker's face could almost be classified as demonic, "I always have my reasons."

"GET OUT OF TUCKER!" Danny yelled. Vlad simply smiled

"If you want your friend back, you'll have to come and get him," He turned to Alesha. "Do not forget, the minute your charge leaves, I will obliterate that which you hold most dear." And with that, he launched himself into the air, heading towards the mansion.

"Sam, Jazz," Danny turned to them, "get Mom and Dad! Alesha, keep them safe...go! HURRY!" Without waiting for an answer, he shot after the already disappearing form of his best friend. They watched him go in a mixture of helplessness and shock before the ghost girl spoke.

"We'd better hurry," Alesha said, grabbing them by the arm and shooting into the air herself, towards the town.

xoxoxox

_Well,_ Vlad thought to himself,_This may turn out beneficial after all_.

_Don't count on it,_ Tucker growled inside his mind._Danny will stop you!_

_How?_Vlad sneered back,_I'm far more powerful than he is, I have more resources, and I have something he won't risk losing._

_What's that?_ Tucker growled.

_Why, my dear boy,_Vlad crowed,_You_. Tucker didn't "say" anything back for several moments.

xoxoxox

Danny rushed after Tucker, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Every event he'd been through, all the lies and the hate and pain he had been dealing with was all fake...it was all a deception! An elaborate lie set up just because Vlad wanted him here, and not with his parents. The older ghost would pay for that, but not before he got Tucker back safely. He'd already come far too close to losing his friends than he cared to remember, and he would NOT allow that to happen again.


	32. Cruel choice

"Ah, Daniel," Plasmius oozed as Danny phased into the first place he had tried to look: Master's expensively furnished office. "Excellent time. I believe you're getting stronger." Danny found it strange and infuriating that this voice dripping with malice and cruelty came from the face of his best friend.

"I'm leaving," Danny growled, "And I'm taking Tucker with me."

"Oh raelly?" Tucker leaned back against the desk on both elbows and called towards the door. "You can bring him in now." Danny turned to see a teen ghost boy with dark brown hair carrying a large, glowing- green tank filled with a gel-like fluid. A young boy floated unconscious inside, a boy who bore an uncanny resemblance to Alesha.

"Meet Brian," Tucker walked up and patted the tank as the ghost set it down. "You are dismissed, Miller. You know what to do." The teen-ager nodded and disappeared.

"Okay, so who's that?" Danny asked, playing dumb.

"Alesha's brother." Danny looked at the unconscious boy, his longish hair floating slowly around him in the thick liquid. He couldn't have been older than 12, probably more like 10...well, if he'd been alive.

"What have you done to him?" Danny growled. Vlad smiled through Tucker's face, and stepped forward.

"Well, it's a simple process really, and it gives me...leverage when it comes to servants," he grinned back at the tank, and Danny decided to take the opportunity to dive at his friend, but Vlad was either expecting it, or was watching out of the corner of his eye, and a red shield appeared around him. Danny ran into it with an oaf, and slid to the ground, slightly dazed.

"Seems you need more practice," Vlad shook his head, and rolled his eyes. "Now," he continued, "you see this liquid is a potent form of charged ectoplasmic goo. With it, I am able to literally suck the time out of their bodies. It's like sending them into a form of stasis." He glanced over at the controls hooked onto the outside of the cylinder. "It has to be extremely potent, because ghosts are far more resistant to obliteration than humans are."

"But they're ghosts...they can't die," Danny blurted before he could stop himself.

"On the contrary, Daniel," Vlad grinned cruelly. "Ghosts can and do fade from existence, and no one knows where their 'soul' really goes. Maybe there is a Heaven and Hell, but I wouldn't even pretend to guess."

"So that's what you did," Danny's voice dropped dangerously, "you told Alesha that if she didn't continue to work for you, you would kill her brother."

"Very good, Daniel," Tucker's glowing eyes glinted with malice, "but there are a few more things you should know." He floated higher, and with the shield still around him, gestured for Danny to come forward. "Get him out, if you can. If you do, I'll let you and your friends go without a fuss." Not quite believing he could get off this easily, Danny floated up to the glass, and thrust his hand through.

"AAAA!" He screamed and pulled it back immediately. He felt like he had stuck his arm into a wall socket or something. His entire appendage tingled, but the tingling felt more like sledge hammers than the usual pin-pricks. Vlad wrapped his hands around his waist, laughing in Tuckers body hysterically asDanny glared up at him. Defiantly, he thrust his hand into the fluid, and grabbed at the boy's shirt. No sooner had he done so, then the pain gave way to numbness, and his hands would no longer obey him. Danny pulled them out immediately, but they wouldn't do anything he wanted.

"You'll be like that for a while," Vlad glided to the side of the tank, and with his eyes still on Danny, he floated to the top of the cylinder, and pushed a button. The top shot open, exposing the greenish substance. "It takes a minute or two for you to regain feeling in whatever part of your body touches the fluid. How else can I keep ghosts under?" He laughed again before continuing. "This button will wake him up, and get rid of the charge in the ectoplasmic liquid." Vlad pointed to a large red button. "Normally I keep them shielded, but I don't see any point here. You see," Tucker now floated directly over the tank, staring calmly and cruelly down at Danny, "Because of the potency of this substance, with or without the charge, it is deadly to humans." Danny's eyes widened as he began to guess where Vlad was going with this.

"No..." he whispered.

"Oh yes, son," Vlad cackled.

"Don't call me son!" Danny shot back. Vlad only continued to laugh.

"You see, I am going to give you a choice, Daniel," Vlad pointed Tucker's hand at the control panel, and shot it, barely nicking the corner, but lights began to blink and a warning bell went off. "You can either choose to get Brian out of here or Tucker, before the cylinder explodes. When it explodes, it will undoubtedly kill every being in the room, ghost or human, and you may wish to choose fast, because you have about, three seconds." With that, he jumped out of Tucker's body, and Danny watched in slow motion as his friend began to fall towards the deadly charge below.

* * *

Well, guys, I have some...bad news for you. Good for me though! ; I'm going up north for a little while, so no chappies until Tuesday. I'm going to put a few chappies up later tonight, but yeah.

LaBOBruen: "Goose" is my term of endearment for my friends when they're being silly. Goose. yes, Evil cliffies are Addicting...very very addicting...walks around like a Zombie I also hope you didn't break your comuter when you were dancing on it like a moron...;)

Kraven the Hunter:glomp: PERFECT PREDICTIONS! you used the exact same reasoning I did! Thank you thank you sooo much!

Dark Ninja of Avelon: I like ghosts haunting me. They remind me of Danny. sighs happily

Halfa Wannabe: Did you want to do a story together? Or were you just talking about pics for your fic? Oh, and thanx for the spelling boost. I appreciate it. :D

Thanks again everyone for the comments on the pics. I'm glad you guys like them. :D


	33. Decision made

"Drop us off here," Jazz told Alesha a few buildings away from the hotel. "We'll go and get Mom and Dad, you get back there and see if you can help Danny." Alesha nodded, and let Sam hit the pavement first, before dropping Jazz directly after her.

"Before you go," Jazz said, looking back up at her, "I need to ask a question." She nodded to Sam, already a ways ahead, signaling for her to continue. Sam acknowledged and turned, running up the steps to the hotel. "Why did you do this?" She looked at the Ghost girl. "I'm not sure what it was, but I know you had something else very important to you on the line here." Alesha sighed and looked down.

"I just knew it wasn't right," she answered. Jazz smiled and shook her head.

"That's not the only thing, is it?" Alesha snapped her eyes back to the red-haired girl. "You have a crush on my brother don't you." Alesha opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. "It's actually fairly obvious," Jazz's smile widened. "You cared enough for him that you would give up whatever else it was that was at stake for him." She walked forward and laid a hand on Alesha's arm, although she had to reach up to do so. "I'll never forget that. Hurry, go!" Alesha felt a smile she never thought she would be able to give again come to her face as the human girl turned her back, and ran towards the hotel.

"Then I will do what I can," Alesha whispered, and took off in the direction of the Mansion again. No sooner had she reached the outskirts of town, when a large, bright-green light exploded in the distance. The ectoplasmic blood in her body suddenly froze and she floated there watching in horror, hoping beyond hope that the event she dreaded had not just happened.

"No," she whispered, a single tear dripping down her cheek. She flew forward so fast, that that one tear remained suspended like a trail of glitter in the air behind her, before falling softly and sadly to the earth, as if mourning the loss that had just taken place.

xoxoxoxo

Danny didn't think, but launched his body forward, towards the controls, and rammed the button on the tank before flying up. Fortunately, Tucker had been hanging several feet in the air, and as Danny flew to intercept him, he tried to force his arms out. He felt panic rise in his chest, as they still refused to respond to him. Desperately, he threw up a shield, and yelled to Tucker to grab his leg. Tucker did as he was told, barely brushing the surface of the liquid below. As Danny went intangible so as to exit the room, he caught a glimpse of green eyes flashing open. His heart wrenched, and he realized he had indeed made his choice.

"I'm sorry!" he called out, turning in his trajectory to face the child. If his arms had been working, he would have been able to grab both of them...but there was no chance in doing so while he remianed in this condition. No sooner had the words escaped his mouth, than a blinding flash of green light shook the mansion around them. He had just begun to phase through the wall, with his best friend clinging for dear life to his intangible leg. He could only watch as the bright light filled his vision, and he felt the energy hit his shield. It was like someone trying to crush him beneath the largest steam roller in existence, and he couldn't help but scream in pain. The world around him began to go blurry, as his body shut down until the pain subsided. As he felt his conscious self slip rapidly away, he caught sight of a large tree in the expansive yard, and aimed in that direction barely aware of Tucker screaming his name.

He wasn't even awake when the tree trunk and branches hit them.

* * *

Thank you, everyone for the well wishes. I hope I have a great time up there too. :D

LaBOBruen: Honk. ;) Of course I'm a goose sometimes too. :D


	34. Losing and Recovering

The world blurred around Alesha as she sped through the almost settled twilight, but in her mind, she knew...Vlad had obliterated her brother's spirit. She hadn't even remembered his name when they'd first woken up after...after whatever happened. They had always just been there, but she was the older sister...and now she had failed.

"Brian," she whispered as she zoomed over the trees.

"You're too late," a voice behind her made her stop, and whirl around to find herself facing a ghost boy who couldn't have been a year older than herself when he'd died.

"Who are you?" she asked warily.

"My name is Miller," he shook dark brown bangs out of his stark green eyes. She took a good look at him as he made his introduction. His skin looked almost asdark as his hair, makinghis neon eyes stand out, not quite as much asher own did. "And yours is Alesha," he waved a hand as he regarded her through the long-cut bangs.

"I know I'm too late..." she blurted out, referring to his previous comment, "but I have to see for myself."

"Some friend you have," the boy scoffed. Once again, she froze, this time not turning to face him.

"What?" She couldn't seem to raise her voice over a whisper, but he heard her.

"Your half human friend," Miller pushed off the wall, and glided over to her. "Vlad gave him a choice of choosing between his friend and your brother. He chose that your brother should die almost immediately." Alesha once again felt her blood run cold. "I witnessed it," he cameclose to her ear. "He killed your brother."

"Vlad killed my brother," Alesha tore away from him, unaware of the tears that had come to her eyes. "Even if it played out the way you say it did, Plasmius gave him the sickening choice to begin with!" Miller shrugged and glided away.

"Whatever you say, but after all you've done for him, I just thought he'd choose differently." She watched him glide away without saying anything. She wanted to scream at him that Danny would never do that...unless he absolutely had to. She wanted to ask him how he knew all of this, but then her mouth seemed to be completely disconnected from her brain. Shaking her head, she dived for the house. She had to see this for herself.

xoxoxox

"Hurry!" Jazz and Sam kept telling them. "He needs help!"

"Why?" Maddie asked for the thousandth time. "Why does he need help? Is he hurt? Tell us!" Sam and Jazz exchanged looks for what seemed like the hundredth time and answered yet again, in unison:

"We don't know." Maddie turned around in her front seat, frustrated, chewing on the end of her glove nervously, an old habit she'd picked up from college.

"So you guys just got a call from Danny, who's been missing for almost four months, and Tucker went off by himself!" She said finally. Jack was remaining strangely silent.

"And we came back, yes," Sam acknowledged. "We...er...couldn't stop him." She shrugged at Jazz. Well, it was true.

"Maddie, look!" Jack said suddenly. The headlights picked up a lumpy figure in the distance, stumbling towards them

"Is it..." The figure stopped as they approached and held up a scratched hand to shield the bright light from his eyes.

"Tucker!" Sam and Jazz exclaimed at the same time. Jack brought the vehicle to a skidding stop, and everyone piled out, rushing at the African American. When he saw them, he smiled in relief, and fell to his knees. He'd walked for almost half a mile with the limp form of Daniel Fenton draped over his shoulder.

* * *

Well, look who woke up sick this morning, and decided that going to her friends house 200 miles away would probably be a bad thing.

Thanx for the comments and the well wishes, guys. I really appreciate it. :hug:

Celestial: Yep! I didn't know it was Japanese though! Coolness. :D Sam uses it once in the second episode, "Parental Bonding": Kudos, Danny. You just set the all time speed record for drowning in the shallow end of the Gene pool. ;) helps her up after her tripping

LaBOBruen: IF YOU ATTACK ME, THERE WILL BE NO MORE STORY! Besides, if I could have my way, Danny would be true and real, and he'd be going to my college, he'd see me, fall madly in love with me, and we'd get married. ;)


	35. Waking up

Alesha knelt in the ruins of the office, crying. Ghosts didn't have bodies when they died. They were already in spirit form, and they just transferred it from one place to another, although Alesha wasn't sure there was a life after afterlife anymore.

"You liked him, didn't you?" she spun and sat glaring at Miller as he watched her cry. Her sobs stopped as soon as he spoke.

"Of course I did," she said softly, dangerously. "He was my brother."

"No, the ghost kid," Miller leaned back on one of his hands and regarded her. "That must hurt, knowing what he did."

"Go away," Alesha said, trying unsuccessfully to hold backthe sobs that once again threatened to break through her chest.

"Ooo, I must be really close to get that kind of a reaction."

"GO AWAY!" but he didn't. He glided up behind her.

"Sorry," he knelt by her. She didn't have the strength or presence of mind to move away, so she stayed where she was. "I was just looking at this from a third person perspective. I mean, the boy you sacrifice everything for takes advantage and leaves."

"Shut up," Alesha felt her sobs being replaced by anger towards this new comer.

"Okay, but," he put a hand on her shoulder, "but I'm not leaving. I'm sorry you no longer have anyone to turn to." He put a hand on her shoulder, but she stood and floated into the air.

"Leave me alone," she said it softly, but firmly. "I never want to see you again." He watched her phase through the ceiling and strike out towards the Lake.

"Excellent work," a voice behind him cackled, and Vlad Masters stepped out into the light. "Those seeds of mistrust and hate have been planted...now we just need to nurture them. She will serve my purpose beautifully."

"Yes, Master," Miller smiled and bowed.

Three Days Later...

Danny liked the warm, comforting dark around him, but he'd been here for too long. He had to change, to move...yes...but that would mean leaving... He wasn't sure he wanted to do that just yet. He moaned slightly at his conflict.

"I think he's coming around..." a voice, in the distance was talking...as if carried on the wind.

"Tucker..." he whispered, and all of his memories came rushing back to him. His eyes snapped open, and he sat up, fast, which was not a good idea. "OW!" he yelped as needles embedded in his skin were moved unceremoniously and painfully around with his jolt.

"Danny," he immediately felt arms wrap around his shoulders, and recognized the red-brown hair of his mother immediately. "Thank heavens you're alright!" He looked around to see a white hospital room with a television in one corner, and a window on the wall, pouring sunlight through it.

"Mom...I..."

"Danny," he looked up to see the large frame of his father towering over him. "We'll discuss what has happened in these last few months later. For now," he leaned down, and for the first time for years that Danny could remember, he received a hug from his father. "Welcome back, son." Danny couldn't help but smile peacefully. Even if they weren't at their house, for the first time in four months, he was home.

THE END OF BOOK ONE:D

* * *

I got several reviews already, and I want to thank everyone who is reading this, again:D

Dark Ninja: Well, you said on the 12 day of Never I could have him, right? Well, I'm glad you hear they're changing the name of the month of "march" to "never" ;) Bwahahahahaha! I'll check your story out. Sorry it's been so long already.

Celestial: I would have guessed at least high-school. Looks like you have a LOT of talent there. :D Nice. Don't ever loose your ability to analyze stories. It will only help you in the long run (as long as you know when to use it, and when to disregard it totaly). :D :hug:Thanx for the review. :hug:

Thanks for all of your wishes to get well. I'm going to be writing a lot today, probably, seeing as I can't talk to anyone. No voice. shakes fist at stupid virus


	36. Preview

PREVIEW FOR BRAINWASHED: Book II of the Deception Trillogy

**Brainwashed: **to make someone believe something by continually telling them that it is true and preventing any other information from reaching them

Danny walked into his room, completely exhausted, and very thankful that his father had left for the Ghost Hunters convention earlier that day. He was stil worried about his mother though. She hadn't returned since she'd stormed out of the house the night before. Still, he knew he couldn't take more of the yelling. Why couldn't his parents stop yelling at each other?Things just seemed to be getting worse since he'd gotten home, and weird things were happening around the house. Something would dissapear, and everything would start. Something wouldn't get done, and Danny would shut himself in his room to drown out the screaming. It's like they were all on time bombs. He felt like he had gone from the frying pan and into the fire...and he knew it would start to show very soon, if it hadn't already. The depression he'd felt at the Master Mansionwas starting to come back, and he didn't know how to fight it...again.He didn't know if he had the stregnth.

Sighing, he looked around the room, waiting to breathe the blue mist that warned him of ghosts in the vacinity. At least he could still count on his friends. If Sam, Tucker and Alesha weren't there, he didn't know what he would do. It took a few minutes, but he finally did start to see his breath.

"Alesha?" he asked, looking around excitedly. This had been the routine since she'd showed up. He'd come home, and wait for her to come andreportfor the day before he would go ghost andhe would takethe afternoon patrol.Then they'd take a patrol in the evening, each taking halfthe city, and using Tucker's radio's tocommunicate. "Alesha...?" It wasn't like her to stay invisible, or hover at the edge of his senses. He finally saw her come floating through the wall,with herhead down, and her hands behind her back. She progressed slowly, and Danny immediately felt like something was terribly wrong.

"Alesha?" he advanced, his hand out towards her. "What's wrong."

"You are," she said quietly, "you took away everything...Brian is gone because of you!" She looked up slowly, and Danny backed away. Her eyes glowed a deep, crimson red, and she began to advance on him.

"Alesha, what are you talking about?" Danny asked. "Alesha..." He was about to transform, when she shot a blast of spectral energy at him, and the last thing he remembered before blackness took him, was the look of satisfaction on her face as she hovered over him.

* * *

Oh, I know I'm cruel. Bwahahahaha! ;) Hope all of my reviewers come back. :D :hug:


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